


My Eyes

by Nephritic_Hypnotist



Category: Gravity Falls
Genre: Bipper, Dubious Consent, M/M, Magic Dipper Pines, Mind Manipulation, Mind Sex, Multiple Crossovers, Post-Canon, Slow Burn, Supportive Mabel Pines, Triangle Bill Cipher
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-09-30
Updated: 2019-05-08
Packaged: 2019-07-20 23:46:20
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con, Underage
Chapters: 27
Words: 51,222
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16148081
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nephritic_Hypnotist/pseuds/Nephritic_Hypnotist
Summary: Mabel and Dipper return to Gravity Falls for High School, but Bill didn't die. He is essentially stuck in Dipper's head - and there is nothing Dipper can do about it. So begins the mind games between the two, as Dipper tries to maintain his sanity while learning magic, while also trying to block Cipher's plans and not make deals. Bill wants freedom and revenge, but grudgingly respects Dipper. A slow burn Bill/Dip.





	1. New Years Eve

**Author's Note:**

> Welcome to my first fanfic. I hope you all enjoy. Comments and critisism are welcome. There will be crossovers later, and I will be putting individual tags here. Do not expect much smut early on - come on - Dipper is 14 at the beginning. But it will eventually be a healthy ish Bill/Dip romance.

_Can I do this? She will understand won't she? That I am not broken - just different. How could we be anything but changed. That we don't belong in the real world anymore - that we left part of our souls there._

Dipper paused in his pacing back and forth, pages from a notepad crunched in his hands. His muttering stopped suddenly when the door to his room burst open. Mabel, dressed in a glittery headband and dark blue sparkly sweater reading 'Goodbye Old Year' (She had one on underneath that read 'Hello New Year') dashed in.

"Dip-Dot!" she squealed. "Mom and Dad are drinking! And Grunkle Stan is about to tell them about Vegas. This is our chance to hear all the gory details…" she trailed off, noticing Dipper's expression and his hands hidden behind his back. "Bro bro? Are you ok?" He nodded, sighed, and patted the spot on the bed next to him as he sat down.

"Mabes? I have something to talk to you about. And no it's not about a girl at school." he quickly interjected before his sister could speak. She frowned, but quietly sat there. For a couple of minutes they sat there awkwardly, Dipper glancing down at the crumpled pages, which Mabel could now see were lists. "Um, do you think maybe you might want to go back to Gravity Falls?" he finally asked.

With utmost seriousness, which looked ridiculous on Mabel in her New Years sweater, she answered "Dipper. Are you scared? Of course I want to see all our friends again. Mystery Twins forever! Or is it about…?"

Dipper shook his head furiously. "No, no, thats not what I meant. I mean moving there. I've been thinking, and yes, planning, and" he hesitated as he spoke, "I want to be Great Uncle Ford's apprentice, and I have some ideas." He took out one of the lists, labeled Future Plans, and began elaborating.

"I want to do both. I want to be here for you. I can't miss your awkward teenage years. But, this is our last year of middle school. We could go to high school there. Mom and Dad wouldn't have to worry about business trips as much, and, well, I miss it. I can be myself, and I can talk about It without…" the last words were said in a whisper.

_Because I can't be myself here. Not with the way everyone sees me. A freak._

Mabel squeezed her twin, forcibly turned him to look at her instead of the floor and finished "...sounding crazy?" He made the tiniest of nods as he squashed his thoughts. She put her hands on her hips dramatically and announced "Sir Dippingsauce, of course I don't mind. I love you." Quietly she spoke, "We aren't the only ones with nightmares. Everyone understands. It's ok." But Dipper knew they didn't. Everyone thought it was just nightmares. That Bill was one dimensional (well two dimensional really) in his goals.

"Mabes. Let me explain. I made a plan. Just listen. We finish middle school here. We move in to the Shack over the summer, and stay. Go to high school. You might actually get to date a vampire. I want to graduate early, with a bunch of AP classes. Ford has 12 PHDs. I need to go to college so I can properly work with him. Major in English and Folklore. Possibly linguistics. I want to, no need to learn magic so that I can defend myself. They don't offer Latin here, but I found a site I can learn it online this semester. How does that sound?" Dipper finished in a rush.

During Dipper's explanation, Mabel had scanned the lists in front of her. All of them filled with ideas, one just about reasons for her to go. One, worryingly, about safety precautions.

  * Deface eyes
  * work out
  * learn to shoot(silenced gun - laser?)
  * Wards
  * judo(Mabel)
  * Teleportation?
  * healing magic(VERY important)



Mabel couldn't see any more items on that list, because the rest was covered. Listening to her brother, she smiled. "Dipper. That is a great idea! It would be so totally awesome to be there full time! Now we just have to convince the Grunkles and our parents!" Bouncing on her heels, she spun and half dragged Dipper downstairs to hear the rest of Grunkle Stan's tale and celebrate New Years Eve.


	2. It's a Brand New Day

The forest looked much the same as it had the year before, an endless expanse of evergreens hiding magical streams and caves behind its mundane exterior. As the car passed that sign 'Welcome to Gravity Falls' Dipper felt it. That singing in his veins that signaled the breaching of the weirdness barrier. A bump in the road caused him to knock into the pile of boxes surrounding and overflowing him and Mabel. It would be wonderful to see everyone again.

_This is home. The attic, just to myself. The (s)Hack. The forest._

He was jolted out of his musings from the shift of paved road onto dirt. He peered out, trying desperately to see anyone he recognized, but alas, even the gnomes were smart enough to stay out of sight by possible tourists. But there.

_Fuck. Shit. No. No. It can't be. We won. It's over. It's just..._

an eye. Of his. On a tree. He couldn't be watching. He was gone. No more torture, no more psychological games. Just Gideon and all the normal supernatural mischief. He smiled over at Mabel. No reason to panic. His own Journals ready to fill, navy blue leather bedazzled (and accurately sparkled) with his constellation (and surrounding stars). Each new adventure, new story to fill its pages. He had even planned ahead and left the first few pages blank so there could be a table of contents and introduction. He would also collate spells and rituals in their own book, and make a little notebook of Latin pronunciation for spells in case multiple people (Mabel) were needed.

Mabel dashed out of the car even before it had completely parked, rushing into Grunkle Stan's open arms. Dipper exited the car only slightly less enthusiastically, his eyes shining with joy peering at the crowd there to help the twins move in. Nobody who would judge him for loving cryptography, drawing, and trying to speak Latin - especially not as he flailed at PE. _Though I probably will flail at PE, but I am pretty sure I can still build stamina and strength._ Wendy, Soos, Grenda, Candy, even Melody and Pacifica were there with their Grunkles. It seemed Wendy even managed to rope Tambry, Robbie, and Thompson to help with the move-in, along with a couple of her brothers. What were their names again?

Dipper ran over to his friends and family, breathlessly excited. Then he paused, took a deep breath, and reintroduced himself in a cool (hopefully) manner.

"Great Uncle Ford" with a firm handshake.  
"Grunkle Stan" smiling and waving while Mabel danced in circles around him.  
"Wendy" a fist bump, and a trade of hats. "Robbie" a nod, and then a quick nod at Tambry and Thompson.  
"Melody, it's so good to see you. Have you been taking care of each other Soos?" he chuckled.  
He turned and looked at Pacifica, hands suddenly twisting in nervousness. "I didn't expect you to be here."

"And miss Mabel's return to town happy dance and party? It's been a lot less exciting without you two to mix everything up. Don't expect me to carry anything though." she smirked

Dipper laughed "I think I might have died of shock if you did. It's good to see you. Will you be at some fancy boarding school, or go to regular high school like us peons?"

Right as she was about to answer, Grunkle Stan loudly interrupted "Move your butts kiddos. That car won't empty itself."

With that everyone (except Pacifica) got to work unpacking the car and moving the twins into their home. Since they would be staying all year, (and their parents were paying 'child support') Mabel and Dipper had separate rooms. Mabel got Great Uncle Ford's old room, and Dipper had the attic all to himself. They moved one of Ford's bookcases and his desk up into Dipper's room (Mabel did not need all of them), but other than that change, the rooms largely stayed the same. The second bed went into Mabel's room (for sleepovers). Of course that is until they were decorated.

After everything had been moved in, and the twins were unpacking they were surprised when they were called down with a yell of "Pizza!" They all had a surprisingly fun time, and in the morning when their parents left, they were ready to finish the summer off before the dreaded high school began.

_I wonder if they offer Latin as a language choice? That'd be convenient._

* * *

 

  
Bill Cipher was bored out of his hat. After that stupid debacle of Weirdmaggedon and getting tricked by Fez and Sixer, he was beyond furious. But after months of being stuck in Fez's mind, with no other dreaming minds to access, he was mostly just bored. Sixer's metal plate tortured him, since he knew that he was there, and only if he could get in.

Around 80% of Fez's memories were still locked away with the laser shield the memory gun imparted. At least Shooting Star got him out of his comatose state and allowed Bill to actually move around by unlocking some of the doors. Though watching Fez eat away at some of the shields, relearning and re-remembering how to scam, and how to interpret his own ledgers - that was fun.

She was really quite helpful. So as soon as Fez formed the memory of the kids coming back to the falls, Bill began planning. Slowly regaining energy so that he would be able to move his conscious form into the mindscape of Pine Tree. Now his mind would be fun to mess around in, but he would have to be subtle, can't go getting his sapling to run off to Sixer because Oh No Bill was in his head.

Tonight was the night he had been planning for months. Slipping between Mindscapes took so much energy, and for the ex - nearly omnipotent dream demon, it hurt his pride to have fallen so low. Slipping into Pine Tree's Mindscape nearly drained all his energy, so much that he couldn't even float, but oh man was it worth it. Pine Tree would provide him so much power, drinking the aftereffects of his nightmares. And since he **ACTUALLY** knew who Bill was, nightmares about him would be the best.

Slipping from one dream to another used to be as easy at thought. Now it was agony, finding a linked memory, one they shared, then dragging himself from one perspective to another. Which also used to be as easy as thought, when he **COULD SEE**. But he made it, frantically searching the memory for Pine Tree's door. Scraping his claws across the door, he ached to just open it. Eventually, panicking, he exploded in rage, burning the entire memory away, then dashing out from the collapsing door, he felt his not so infinite energy **ANYMORE** scatter.

Piece by piece he reformed himself, at the center of Dipper's mind. The greyscale woods of Gravity Falls surrounded him, but he found himself lost. Each turn Bill made that should lead to something, any interesting thing the sapling would enjoy investigating, lay blank. Just empty clearings.

Slowly exploring, since he was stuck unless he would enter Shooting Star's mind, and there was no way he would do that, Pine Tree was just too much of a riot to mess with, he walked among the quiet forest until he came to the memory palace. Not much of a palace, more of a jumbled victorian-esque manor, with a single large tower. He would have time to flip through all his memories later, so he wandered over to Pine Tree's dream, being careful to stay out of sight.

Aww, it was a dream about him. They were bickering, and dream him was taunting him with his failures. Just the taste of it from here felt so good, so addicting. This was more energy he was gaining right now than over a month in Fez's head. Bill watched, actually manifesting his cane to lean on, but something wasn't right. Shouldn't this be a nightmare? It lacked the taste of panicked fear, replaced with bitter stubbornness? Pine Tree's dream got even more interesting, as he began shooting dream-Bill with lasers, all the while dream-Bill circled him, shooting off a shot once in a while, and showing him the desolation of Weirdmaggedon. But Pine Tree fought back, he wouldn't let dream-Bill win, even if Weirdmaggedon was his fault, even though he blamed himself, everything would be fine if he had just listened to Mabel.

This would be interesting. His favorite human, fighting back, having a blast, enjoying the challenge. Bill decided he would erase dream-Bill soon, taking his place in Pine Tree's dreams. And maybe, just maybe, work on that deal they had. He'd have to be careful, Pine Tree was a worthy opponent, at least with Bill's energy scattered and sucked back into the Nightmare Realm. Though he would never tell the kid that.

Bill grinned with his eye. Fun, fun, fun.


	3. First Forest Exploration

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am going to try to post either once or twice a week

Dipper planned to spend as much time filling his journals before summer ended. Since they moved here permanently, they stayed in Piedmont for a month to have family time with Mom and Dad. Mabel planned constant sleepovers, but Mystery Twins is a big deal. That won't ever change. Now, finally, after two days of lessons and lectures that they were too young, it was too dangerous, Dipper got to head into the forest.

"Great Uncle Ford?"

"Hmm? Oh what is it Dipper? I am currently in the middle of a very delicate experiment…"

Dipper sighed in exasperation. "I am going into the forest. I will be headed to the crystal cave to harvest some. I believe they would make good protection when paired with a focused light beam. The idea being that monsters would be much less likely to attack when I shrink them. I will also be removing any" he gulped in nervousness, but at least Ford was paying attention now "eyes I find. You know my overall plan to become more capable in magic, and I _shouldn't have to ask permission. I am perfectly capable on my own. I_ plan to meditate in one of my favorite spots from last year. "

Ford nodded, clearly thinking about the applications of a shrink/enlarge ray. "That sounds reasonable. You have your safety kit?"

_No duh._ "Yes"

"Then I suppose you may go. Thank you for informing me first."

_Like I wouldn't get lectured to kingdom come if you even noticed I had been in the forest all day._ Dipper rolled his eyes as he left the basement and grabbed his forest backpack, containing his Journal, his spellbook, a first aid kit, a water bottle, and two emergency sandwiches. In his pocket was a switchblade, and in his jacket was his new Swiss army knife. _Though I don't intend to use it._

Entering the forest was always a breath of fresh air. Dipper strolled his way to the crystal cave, taking pictures with his phone of interesting flora. It was never wise to take pictures of any non-hostile creatures without their permission. _No reception, no GPS, no leashes. I could stay out here forever._ He collected some crystals of various sizes, but then a cold wind blew across his back. Something was out here, watching him. Dipper began to panic, scanning frantically for any eyes he missed, but the only one he found was dangerously high in a tree. Taking deep breaths, he began to calm down.

"Hello? Is someone out there?" but nobody came.

Glancing back nervously, he hurried to what he thought of as his sanctuary. He never even told Mabel about it. The light filtered through the trees, and he felt at peace. Nothing could harm him here. Laying amongst the clover, resting his head on his backpack, he ate lunch. _Ahhh. So nice._

His sanctuary was a small glade hidden behind a mossy scarp. Tall pines surrounded him, and the pine needle floor rustled as he walked. The other side of the large stone flattened out into a perfect place for personal circles. When he sat there, and it was sunny, the warmth of the sun wrapped around him like a blanket. Underneath the ledge was a small cave opening, which after Dipper cleared of pine needles and dust, he found a cavern the size of a small house. There was a perfect place to collect rainwater over in the corner _(strainer above a copper pot)_ , and he planned on introducing bioluminescent mosses of various colors to the ceiling. This could be his home, and it would be.

If he ever got into a fight, or just wanted space, here he would come. For now his sanctuary was much as Gaia had created, but he planned on forming a home in here. Over in one corner was an old sleeping bag he found in the storage closet. _Gonna need some serious cash to fix this place up, unless I can convince one of the Grunkles. Wendy's family probably has extra survival gear. I should ask her. As well as how to shoot._ He shuddered. He never ever wanted to use a gun on someone. _Though I am pretty sure the more time I spend in the forest and the more magic I learn the safer the forest becomes._

After eating, Dipper sat on the ledge, attempting to get into lotus position, but only succeeding in half lotus. There he meditated, filling his whole being with the sounds of the forest, his pulse, and calm. Nothing could bother him here. He focused inward, towards that flickering energy that poured out last summer whenever he performed magic. He listened to its crackle, and poured his will, his whole awareness into something indescribable, something wonderful.

**"Lux esse"** Dipper whispered, opening his eyes. In his palms was a softly glowing dark green puddle. In response to Dipper's desire, it rose up into the air and formed an orb. Awestruck, he watched it pulse once, then fade away.

With its fading, he felt surprisingly tired, like he had been chopping wood for an hour. He glanced at his phone for the time, (7:36) _Shit. Shit. Shit. Grunkle Stan's gonna kill me!_ then hurried back home to the Mystery Shack. He had been gone all day, and almost definitely missed dinner.

________________

Pine Tree's memory palace was surprisingly well organized for a hormonally controlled wreck of a human lifeform. The tower was all about Shooting Star, and at the very center of the hall below it resided Grecian pillars stretching upwards into infinity. Placed between them, under a crystalline barrier, lay a 5 dimensional essence of Shooting Star - not just Pine Tree's vision of her, but actually her. These resided in all twins minds, linked intrinsically from birth. Though the 5th dimension of essence was odd, they were usually only 3 or 4 dimensional. Sixer's and Fez's. Heh. Only two dimensions. They probably didn't even have twin telepathy. Bill spun his cane in glee. Pine Tree had more to him than he had initially thought. A perfect host. And since he was still technically his puppet, all Bill would have to do is satiate his insatiable curiosity to strengthen and add to that one tiny cerulean string.

What's this? He cross-referenced his memories! This kid is a riot. Now for the real delve, into the kid's memories of Bill Cipher himself.

Hmm. Listening to his sapling's thoughts gave Bill wonderful ideas. Already sick of Sixer? Paranoid of me? Safety in the forest, in My forest? Bill cackled to himself. Already isolating himself? Wonderful.

This memory is lovely, his sapling throwing things at me. Awww. I traumatized him with that puppet deal. Bill grinned in remembrance, reliving the sensations he had in Pine Tree's body while watching Pine Tree's viewpoint. That was hilarious.

Bill froze. Everything shut. Every memory closed. Bill couldn't move. What was this? He knew that Pine Tree, no, Dipper was building energy, it surged through and fled the palace, but Bill could not even look to see where it was going. He can't be **STUCK! NOT AGAIN!** He won't **EVER** be helpless again! Never. Pine Tree would **PAY** for this.

…

… as soon as Bill could move

… as soon as Dipper went to sleep

Bill couldn't even huff in indignation.

… how long was this taking?

Oh thank chaos he could hear the kid freaking out about being late for dinner. So it lasted for most of the day. Figuring this out would be of primary importance. All during dinner Bill flew through the memory palace, searching for anything that would explain this phenomenon. To no avail. Pine Tree fell asleep. Now for revenge.

The sapling was dreaming an abstract dream. He floated and danced with a glowing green serpent, to the sapling's delight.

"Oh Pine Tree! How's it going? I've missed you. Enjoyed your time in the forest today? Finally got some **ALONE** time? Heh? Heh?" Bill sauntered right up to Pine Tree, faking full confidence, though internally panicking. What was that earlier?

"Go away Bill. I'm not interested." he deadpanned, and the pine tree green snake flickered.

"You sure? I have these two lovely dreams I created for you, and you get one of them." Bill began juggling dream orbs, which to Dipper looked eerily like madness bubbles. "Of course, one of them is a nightmare" Bill trailed off, looking meaningfully at Pine Tree.

Bill was not expecting the result. That snake flew right into him. It was pure magic. Light magic. Delicious. Pine Tree has been studying. This will go much faster if he feeds me like that. Pine Tree looked annoyed, eyes following the juggling orbs.

"You haven't lost any of your spunk kid, but did you really think that that would hurt me?"

Pine Tree looked down at his feet, scuffing them across the dirt "... not really. Nothing ever does"

Now that's a wonderful opinion for the kid to have. Bill tossed one of the nightmares at him, then disappeared with his classic "Remember, reality is an illusion, the universe is a hologram, buy gold! Bye!"

And the nightmare began. It tasted so sweet. Three hours of restless sleep. Just a friendly warning. 


	4. Summer Shenanigans

Summer was amazing. Mysteries to solve, supernatural creatures to interview, Magic to learn. Dipper managed to access his magical energies without deep meditation, and succeeded at conjuring both water and an electric spark.

_Mental note: keep all electric magic away from any technology. Explosions bad._

**Aqua protexi non abscido cutamae** saved his and Mabel's skins (Literally, apparently they make coats out of human skin. Ugh) in an unexpected encounter with a selkie.

Wards and runes were progressing well, the former mostly requiring memorization and crafts (Mabel loves that), and runes were just another language in which ciphers were written. Going through both Journals 1 and 2 caused Dipper to understand his uncle's methodology effectively. He came at it from a purely scientific perspective, and when he began describing his interactions with Bill - it got very awkward. (Very awkward) Especially remembering how awkward his Grunkles were to each other. Though to be fair to Great Uncle Ford, it did explain why he acted like such a dick after coming through the portal.

_I wonder if he kept a journal of his interdimensional travels?_

Over the course of the month, Dipper was able to acquire from Wendy an old waterproof sleeping bag (3 shifts covered but she still gets the pay), help building a bookcase (mediating between her family and a dryad over chopping rights) - which didn't go all that well, basically involved convincing the Corduroys to bribe her constantly, replant every tree, and not cut down specific trees she dictated (there were a lot of them), Mabel helped with that issue majorly, getting both sides (Manly Dan) to talk instead of attempting murder. Nobody wanted a war between the actual pine trees and the woodcutters.

Since the twins would be going to the high school, their Grunkles allowed Mabel to decorate one of the golf carts to be the kids 'car'. Whenever they went into town it was in a 'Mystery Twins' official 'Mystery Cart'. (That could go up to 50 mph) Dipper wasn't sure why, but Durland and Blubs never seemed to stop them, (cause they are idiots) even though it would be at least two years before they would even have their permits. The major modifications made by Ford probably had something to do with it… how do you even define a golf cart stuffed to the brim with various nets, lasers, and even deployable wings. plus emergency jet packs. Then again, Mabel did attach it to its keychain, using the newly created shrink/growth guns (instead of a flashlight).

Needless to say, shenanigans ensued, though with Gideon in jail (he screwed up again), he at least didn't cause any himself. Dipper could not remember how many guys Mabel began 'interviewing' for possibly dating. Apparently, constantly changing boyfriends, or even the rumor that you have had sex during high school would cripple your reputation, making you a 'slut'. Mabel tried to get Dipper interested in anyone, but he just retorted that there would be plenty of time during high school for that. Also, waay too paranoid with people looking at him, or touching him, or interrogating him.

The Bill dreams never really ceased. Half of the time they were nightmares, berating Dipper for all his failures and laughing at his futile attempts to fight, or showing all the pain he caused Mabel, even dreams where Dippy Fresh replaced him. _I fucking hate Dippy Fresh. Stupid stupid idealized version of me. He probably would have supported Mabel completely instead of insisting on coming back here, just cause here he had friends._ But other times, and these were the scary ones, were where Dipper and Bill would laugh and play, bicker about things happening in the falls, exploring worlds only Mabel could imagine, or reading ancient texts with perfect clarity. The ones where Dipper felt special, where he succeeded, when a monster fight happened and he reveled in the gore and destruction, and it felt right.

Dipper did begin to notice that Bill would almost never comment about current events, it was all past events. And Dipper never forgot his dreams, whether he got almost no sleep or slept all day. But he never ever dreamed about his sanctuary - it was always blank, a laughing void.

  
Sometimes, when meditating, he would accidentally slip into his mindscape. Not dreaming, he dreamed in color, but the typical greyscale of his mind, though time did not appear to freeze. It was a strange sensation, like being in two places at once. Time appeared to slow, but Dipper's body continued its actions, and the real world would pass by. During those meditative slips he noticed something off. His memory doors were fresher than they should be, he would sometimes hear the barest whisper of a song in the back of his head, and his sanctuary was surrounded in a curtain of pitch black.

* * *

 

Even Pine Tree's brain got depressing after a while. There's only so much one can find in the Mindscape of a 13 year old boy. Who spent nearly all of his school days excelling in classes, and being bullied. This last year had the best memories of his life. His hobbies actually led to cool discoveries, he had more freedom to actually do stuff. Then of course, as soon as summer ended, life became dreary once again. Frustratingly, Bill discovered that he had lost large portions of his memory along with his power. Though he learned more about glitter than any self respecting demon, or apparently human should ever know. There was only so much so to say space in one mind, the loss of nearly every sense he had, and collecting energy, left Bill Cipher bored. So bored he relived Pine Tree's entire school life, from kindergarten to current. Dipper doesn't realize it, but he has a lot of problems bubbling deep in his subconscious. Noodle arms indeed. The sapling couldn't even realize, even less remember all of the uncomfortable situations his twin put him in.

Bill explored every memory he could, though he found some oddities in the magic section. Pine Tree's memory of his first casting should be prominent, but appeared to not exist anywhere in the study that served as his hall of magick. There were memories of him casting later, and mastering that simple spell enough that he could merely desire the light to form, and it would. But where was that first intentional cast? Pine Tree's memories had references to it, but Bill could just not find it.

As time went on, the instances of immobility occurred more frequently. The kid always was in the forest when they occured, based on the low level of subconscious thoughts about the lighting, and trees, and make sure to step over the root. Pine Tree really disliked this one specific root. It got worse though. Pine Tree had plans that required home supplies, and over the summer he acquired them, but they never entered the shack, and Bill could just not hear where they were going. Every time a thought strayed to that topic, the whole mindscape immediately went silent. That or Bill became temporarily deaf. Please not temporarily deaf. That would mean - what exactly? Bill hated how weak, how helpless he became. Perhaps the axolotl did something to protect the sapling from Bill.

No.

Bill couldn't risk losing his only tenuous grasp on any dimensions. He couldn't even hate Pine Tree, for ruining Bill's plans after experiencing his whole life. So when Pine Tree nearly died for the second time this week, it **DID NOT** scare Bill. Nothing scared Bill Cipher.

Bill Cipher had to do something about this. Pine Tree, no, Dipper Pines could not get hurt.

Only he could meld his sapling.

Not Sixer.

If Bill could turn his sapling away from others, trusting no-one, except for himself. If Bill could shift Dipper's dreams into ones he wouldn't want to share, ones that exposed how alone he was, ones that made Bill the only one he could confide in, enjoy the company of. If Dipper believed that being awake hurt too much, Bill would be there, ready to listen, to look after his sapling, help him grow strong. High school would be the perfect opportunity for true isolation. Because only Bill knew everything, only Bill could help with his problems.

Pine Tree's dreams provided sufficient energy, and there was one thing Bill Cipher would never say. That Bill Cipher was weak. That he needed anything. That if Pine Tree died, Bill probably would too. That that child could have been made just for Bill. Such potential. That self sacrificing complex would have to go, even if it did make him much more malleable. It made him weak, and Bill's host could not be weak.

But how best to go about pruning his sapling, how best to get him to give his trust to Bill? Because then Bill could act. Eventually, Dipper might even provide Bill a vessel. Experimentation is one of the foundations of learning and science after all. He could satisfy that curiosity - but no, that might reveal that the dreams were manufactured, not self inflicted.

Dipper Pines belongs to Bill Cipher. He just doesn't know it yet. But he will. A perfect little Pine Tree. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much for your support. I was really scared about posting, but I already have 11 kudos and nearly 100 hits! 
> 
> It really boosts my confidence a lot. And if anyone wants to read ahead and kinda beta for me, I've tried to get my family to read it, but they haven't watched Gravity Falls, and my only friend who has is intimidated by the 70 page Google Doc...


	5. Dipper the Hero

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Updates will probably be every Tuesday and Friday

Today, high school student orientation and registration happened. To say it was a disaster would put it mildly. The gnomes managed to form three remarkable facsimiles of bored students, and laid traps around the girl's bathroom. And a camera. Pointed at the girl's bathroom. They wanted a queen, and luring bored teenage girls away from paperwork their parents had to do, actually a very good strategy. If only Mabel hadn't noticed them, while amongst a gaggle of girls. Needless to say, after a long morning of gnome ass kicking and herding, Dipper and Mabel managed to trap (hopefully) all the gnomes in the school. The actual guidance counselor, PE teacher, and principal hosted a tediously long presentation about consent, safe sex, and how kidnapping girls was a terrible way to get them to become your queen. Throughout the presentation, Dipper received more texts in one hour than he had in his entire life (not counting texts from Mabel) - from girls he saved from the gnomes.

"Mabel!" he hissed. "What the heck is this?" as he shoved his 21 new messages popup in her face.

"I gave them your number" she winked conspiratorially "Dipdot, you have never asked a girl for her number, and you weren't about to." He rolled his eyes in exasperation. "You are a hero, girls love that. Also, this is super boring… and they all want to thank you." she smiled at her twin as he facepalmed.

Eventually they were able to get their class schedules. And yes, Latin was one of the offered languages. You had four classes plus homeroom a semester, and Dipper was very glad to get into honors for all his classes - First semester he had geometry, _shudder this will be terrible terrible terrible maybe I should just ask if I can skip geometry and go straight to Algebra 2 but then again he is gone, it's just dreams, but he's a dream demon, oh god, yeah I think I might actually ditch school for the first time in my life_ English, Health/Computers _aka the worst class ever and probably just making sure this generation can type_ , and Biology. This school is so not set up for people trying to finish early. At least Mabel enjoys her schedule, and she has geometry with me.

Finally, after much mortification on everyone's parts, all the forms got filled in, (with Dipper instead of his real name on the forms) and everyone could leave. Grunkle Stan spent the entire time grumbling about restrictions, and how they didn't qualify for reduced lunch _thank god_ or anything out there. There were all the usual restrictions - no weapons in school, no fighting, only seniors can leave campus for lunch. Though how everyone totally didn't notice that multiple students fought off gnomes with weapons. Ahh, Gravity Falls. It is amazing and weird in a wonderful way that I just straight up plan on breaking rules, and don't even care. Lunch would be a great time to bring supplies out to the sanctuary.

The next day, Dipper, Mabel, and Ford went out to the gnome village. (Dipper and Ford were really only there to make sure the gnomes didn't mess with Mabel. Ford tinkered with some incomprehensible device, and Dipper just leaned against a tree bored, every once in a while spinning a water whip around his fingers. Just for practice of course.) Mabel gave a very different, but equally boring (and embarrassing) lecture about how to romance, even making Dipper carry fairy tale books (the sanitized versions) and steamy romance novels as textbooks.

At one point Dipper noticed a series of triangles pointed in facing the village, high enough up that the gnomes would never notice. He elbowed his Grunkle lightly, whispering "Up there, the ring of them. That would give a complete view." He then summoned his light, using it like a laser pointer highlighting the triangles. Ford proceeded to terrify everyone but Dipper by scorching each and every symbol on the trees. With great prejudice. Dipper actually had to put out a couple of burning branches that happened to be in the way. The gnomes paid VERY close attention to 'Mabel's Dating Guide for the Supernatural' after that.

 

* * *

 

Pine Tree crouched in the middle of the floor, texts flying around him and speaking in all the voices of teenage girls. He tried to hide, but the words called after, creating a cacophony of lovesick comments.

"Thank you Dipper!"  
"That was sooo cool"  
"Did you see that stupid slide?"  
"You crushed those shitbag gnomes like a motherfucker - damn!"  
"OMG ty"  
"So Mabel gave me your number, think we could maybe do something later?"  
"Water can do thaat???"  
Star's voice "You're a hero DipDot. Girls love that."

The sapling tried to banish the noise, but he had no control in this nightmare. Cowering, hands cupped over his ears as he tried to ignore it all, Dipper cried "No… no. I can't do this. I can't. They'll get hurt. No…"

Bill did not like this nightmare. It wasn't funny, Pine Tree wasn't fleeing from an unspeakable horror. He was crying, because he didn't feel like he deserved their praise.

"gnomes r shit"  
"We got 2nd period together? Sit by me? ;P"  
"<3"  
"Would you be willing to show me some special ;) magic ;)"

His sapling deserved to be praised, deserved to be wanted, deserved to be worshiped.

Bill floated through the tornado of attention and anxiety, swatting any texts that came near with his cane. He landed next to the boy, and started petting his head. Dipper flinched away at first, but as Bill spoke he began to relax into the touch.

"Don't worry. Ignore it all. They don't matter. " he crooned, attempting to calm the boy.

Bill lifted his sapling's head, looked him in the eye, and stated "It will be fine."

"Bill…?" his sapling whispered, with a frightened look in his eyes. "Huh…? What are you…"

Bill pressed one finger to the boy's lips, continuing to pet him all the while. "Shhh. It's gonna be ok. What do you want me to do to them?"

Dipper sat up in confusion, the tornado dwindling around. The voices still called out to him, trying to come close, but each time one came near, Bill swatted it away with his cane. "Whaa? Just… just make them go away. Please?"

That was all the permission Bill Cipher needed. Pine Tree hadn't specified exactly what he meant by 'them', so Bill interpreted it however he desired. Bill held his sapling close, protecting him from seeing the lasers he shot from one hand disintegrating the texts.

No girl would take his Pine Tree away.

Eventually the kid calmed, but Bill just held on, holding the boy close until the dream faded to black.

After Dipper woke, Bill went and eradicated Pine Tree's memories of the overwhelming amount of texts. Thankfully, Dipper had already deleted them last night before bed, otherwise he might have to possess him to remove the evidence.


	6. High School Musings

Pretty much everyone in Gravity Falls is weird. And the weirder they are, the less likely they are to leave. Humans and natural animals tend to fall on the low end of the weirdness scale. Squirrels though were incredibly smart (for squirrels), they actually knew what cars were and to avoid them. (though if you spoke squirrel you would hear some really weird stuff) Since Dipper did not speak squirrel, and all of these results came from Mabel convincing Grunkle Ford to test various animals for intelligence, he would never find out that squirrels also had cults. Gnomes spoke squirrel though, but none of them really wanted to tell all their secrets to Ford or Dipper, (they STILL couldn’t find a queen), so research progressed slowly.

The more weird something was, such as the multibear or unicorns, the stronger the urge to stay in the Falls there was, and the more uncomfortable leaving became. Dipper realized this was why he felt so comfortable in the woods - he was becoming more magical, and thusly, more weird. The equation ended up being similar to the gravitational equation, but also much more complicated.

How do you measure weirdness? That is a very important variable. Could the gnomes leave? The Grunkles did find a number of anomalies outside on their year long trip in the Stan o' War II. And those tourists that came and saw weird things, but left, (and people who moved away) began to forget some of the weirder stuff. How much of it all was people just not believing in their own experiences? How much of it was just plain forgetfulness? How much of it was residual blocks from the Blind Eye Society's frequent usage of the memory gun? Did people put up psychological blocks in their head, stopping themselves from thinking about how the weird stuff actually existed?

Even TV in Gravity Falls was different, the main stations existed, but local stuff never passed the border, even with the Never Mind All That Act. Pitt Soda was unique to Gravity Falls, but there was no factory, and Melody said she hadn't seen it in Portland, so where did it come from? Why would Several Timez come through here, but then the producer left. _Wait did he leave the cloning machine here or did he take that back with him?_ But there had always been stories of supernatural creatures, there was even a whole genre of fiction that was young adult supernatural romance. _Ugh._ Just nobody truly believed, or if they did they wouldn't say. Bill had clearly been able to leave Gravity Falls before Weirdmaggedon and his power surge, but he did seem to prefer Gravity Falls.

Evidence: His zodiac resided here, he had eyes on nearly every tree, and all over town, he seemed to make deals and/or be worshiped here more frequently (finding out how many deals the Northwests had made… not a pleasant experience), he knew the name of a tiny town in the middle of nowhere, and since Dipper returned, the Bill dreams were nearly daily (though that might be due to proximity and number of triggers reminding Dipper of Bill, it was hard to tell whether the paranoia was valid).

Also Grunkle Ford tended to be a bit distractible, tending to have multiple experiments happening at once, and McGucket enjoyed building crazy inventions (and death-bots) a bit too much. Dipper also had high school, which as Wendy promised, sucked. The classes were more challenging, but not enough to actually be enjoyable, the teachers were… residents of Gravity Falls. Wendy was a senior, Nate and Tambry were juniors, but the rest of the gang had all graduated. So Dipper at least had a few friends from before, not counting Mabel and her girlfriends. It was incredibly unsettling at first, that at lunchtime people came to sit next to him, wanted to talk to him, were possibly flirting with him.

Mabel was popular, suffice to say. Who could stay mad at Mabel anyway, and she had so much passion for everything (thank everything they had separate rooms now), and since he _Whoa? Am I the one who first became friends with Pacifica?_ had broken that barrier between Pacifica’s crowd and Mabel, Grenda, and Candy, Mabel became the most popular girl in freshman year (also sophomore year). Everyone wanted their own Mabel sweater, and she regularly bought out the entire supply of yarn in the whole town. _Wait a second… How much does Grunkle Stan pay her? There is no way I would be able to afford all that._ Even if he and Mabel were drifting apart a little, they would still be Mystery Twins forever. She had her high school drama, and he mostly wanted to learn magic and write his own journals.

She was the one who introduced the Grunkles to smartphones, and in particular, apps. She suggested to Great Uncle Ford that he turn his anomaly detector into an app for their phones, and make one that let townsfolk report any supernatural issues directly to the anomaly app. Which meant that Dipper, Mabel, and Ford received notice whenever something went down. Ford forgot to uhh, notice the alert, and Mabel mostly just came with Dipper when he ended up dealing with them. Dipper felt like he was constantly getting pestered with simple issues, but there still were enough emergencies that he had to leave class fairly often. (It also gave Dipper an excuse to avoid attention in school.) Mabel didn’t have that problem. She wasn’t as interested, so ignored more alerts.

School. School was not weird. School was pretty much the same no matter where you lived. Although here you at least had the game of trying to guess who was in which cult, or who was a secret supernatural (vampires did not immediately burn in sunlight, they were sluggish, sunlight hurt them, and they couldn’t use their powers during the day - so pretty indistinguishable from goths). There were werewolves, and wolfweres, which were VERY different kinds of supernatural beings. One were humans with very poor anger management skills that gained wolf-like features the angrier they got, and the other were actual wolves who sometimes transformed into people.

Most people would be surprised at the number of cults Dipper discovered, but most of them were really just social circles with some odd rituals and maybe a sacrifice or two. There was even an anime cult. Soos was delighted to learn about it, and told the kids all about their meetings, which he then attempted to retcon, since it was secret cult stuff. This happened every week. It was adorable. Except that when the anime cult had emergencies, they could get scary (worse than Giffany) very quickly. But still, Soos's cult outfit made Dipper burst into giggles, especially after Mabel bedazzled it.

* * *

 

Ahhh, high school… the best time of their lives. Yeah fricking right. This is the time where stupid meat sacks finally have freedom over aspects of their lives - but no self control. It IS BEA - U - TIFUL. So many repressions bursting out, disposable income to spend on ruining oneself - oh and the hormonal drama! Forever lasts eight months when kids are that age.

Gah! The inanity! At least in Purgatory I can take a freaking nap!

'Oh we'll be together forever. I looove you soo much!'

Then they have sex, and two months later they hate each other's guts and would commit murder. And they get to drive now. I almost melted at the opportunity available for any punk willing to debase themselves to dealing with them.

Ulgh. The idea that I **WANT** to screw with teenagers for their energy is just ick. My bricks feel all slimy just…

This is bad. I need out. Fast. This is hideous. **HAVING** to sit through the monotony - even as Pine Tree laps up what misinformation he's being delivered. Hah.

Over the weeks I began sending Pine Tree into deep, dreamless, restful sleep, waking him in the morning so he feels tired and groggy. Not every night - that would be suspicious. But no more bouts of insomnia. When he gets to class, then I begin the pull. Draining a bit at a time, so he is never too tired to have adventures after school, but filling my reserves bit by bit. Good thing is he isn't working too much on practical magic right now, I won't let him have the energy for that. Not until I am ready, until I can get the hell out of his head. Then…

...oh how I'll reveal myself. Who first to torment?

The Northwest clan makes very good pawns. And the father did pretty much pledge himself to me.

I'll sway Pine Tree through his dreams. Show him knowledge, reinforce those strings - once my puppet is nice and tightly caught in my web.

He will get his prize. Getting to learn directly from me! Never having to interact with those annoying fleshbags all the time.

I'll be the only one he listens to, and he will be rewarded. My Sapling can grow nice and strong. No breaking his brain though - its his best trait. Theorizing about the Law of Weirdness - well now I know the formula. He doesn't know about all the other anomaly 'hot spots' though, once Phase Two starts I will tell him about those. With both Sixer and Pine Tree here they will eventually get bored and need to find other sites, and I bet Pine Tree won't actually go to college, unless it is online. He's too bored as it is with school. It is safe, but boring. I would really rather he improve in self defense, or at least bring Red along on his adventurers. She is a capable warrior, along with Brick.

Note: Once he becomes obedient, take him to the Watcher's Library as a reward. It'll be hilarious to see those old British knowledge hoarders freak out when a teenager appears with me to collect payment. Reading gets him so excited.

Seriously! How moronic is this self proclaimed teacher?

I will keep him. I won't break him. I need out. **NOW!**


	7. Explosive Truths

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here it is - what we have all been waiting for - our protagonists to meet!
> 
>  
> 
> I have no clue how to write a fight scene. At all. 
> 
> If anyone would like to help me out by proofreading, that would be amazing... I keep forgetting things like which lines need to be italiced... So thank you to that anon... I didn't even realize it was a mistake I made. The constructive criticism means a lot.

Yep. High school is hell. The classes are full of morons _I'm pretty sure just living in Gravity Falls makes people lose half their minds. Does that mean I am going insane? I do have ridiculous paranoia, totally valid though._  and the teachers don't even notice how many students are on their phones in class. Right now it is… 13. The teacher was droning on about healthy food habits and how important it was to eat fruits and vegetables. _But has she seen the glop they serve as food here?_ Eh… whatever.

… Teacher rambling

Blah blah blah

… Oh.

_I entered the mindscape. Huh. Usually I have to meditate for that to happen._ Dipper felt a strong pull on his system, like his hips were being pulled out of their sockets. _I guess I could practice some magic. Nobody will notice, and time passes slower in here._ He could see the rest of the classroom moving in slow motion, that one kid, Brian was tapping his pencil to his own drumbeat and instead of sounding like dots in Morse code, each dot was now a line. I looked around, peering out the window and

...was that Bill in the reflection?

Shit. Dipper spun around to find that yes, Bill Cipher was literally in the mindscape right now with some sort of pulsing cord attached to the back of Dippers neck. What the fuck.

"What the fuck Bill? What is this shit?" Dipper pulled on the (cord? hose?) and suddenly Bill's eye shot wide open. _In terror. Wait. Gotta get out of here._ " **Lux praestringo.** " The spell shot beams of light out of Dipper's palm and tied itself around Bill's legs, preventing him from getting away.

"Pine Tree! No! This is all just a misunderstanding!" Bill cried in panic.

No. Not this time. Dipper had his real body _god being both in the mindscape and reality is trippy_ suddenly look down towards his pocket, remove his phone, and mumble sorta loudly "Oh shit." He then jumped up, looked towards the teacher and called out as he ran from the classroom "It's an emergency!" His body ran straight for the woods, and his mindscape body was pulling Bill along to get him out of the school and into the forest.

Dipper's body sat. _Good no more doing three things at once._ In the mindscape, Bill had been struggling to get out, to rip Dipper's leash off his legs. Dipper was having none of that.

"Bill. Explain. Now." Dipper's hand began sparking, almost uncontrollably.

"Pine Tree. This is a dream. Right. You fell asleep in class. I'm just checking on you."

"Bullshit. Nobody is asleep right now. Now cut the crap."

"Whaaaat kid? You think I'd lie to you? After all we've been through together?"

"Yes."

"But that was in the past. So you ruined my plans. So what? I am an all powerful dream demon. I can let things slide. There is plenty of time in the universe." Bill attempted to distract him by shifting forms and showing cryptic imagery _oooohhh which won't work on me._

Dipper began tapping his foot pointedly, glaring at Cipher. "What. Is. This. Cord?"

"Ohhhh that little old thing? Its just a two-way power transfer cord, like an umbilical cord, but both ways."

"And why is attached to us?" Dipper almost shouted, tugging on the cord to pull Bill close.

"You asked for help a couple weeks ago. Don't you remember? It was when you needed a boost to trap the moths that form the Mothman individually." Bill replayed the dream segment.

"That was a dream. It doesn't mean you can stick around and keep doing shit like that!"

Bill turned black and red. _This is bad._ "Yeah? Whatcha gonna do about it Pine Tree? I'm just a hallucination brought about by your paranoia and PTSD from last year. That's what you are telling yourself isn't it? I can't be back. You won." Bill taunted.

Things went downhill from there. There was shouting. There was screaming. There was lightning flying around, and cerulean flames trying to burn the cords. At one point the pulsing cord between the two snapped, and a wave of energy flowed into Dipper. He felt amazing.

Wonderful.

Like that first time he used his magic. The rush partially shot out in the lightning, resulting in a giant explosion.

Dipper looked around, peering through the dust and trying to hear through the ringing in his ears. He felt stinging across the many stinging _stinging?_ cuts all over his arms, and shards of tree bark and pine needles rushing underneath his feet like water around a boulder. He shook his head, thoroughly confused, and as the dust faded, he saw.

  1. He could see color.
  2. Bill Cipher lay in a small crater in the ground.
  3. Said crater was below Dipper.



_Fuck what Is this reality? Where is my body? What the hell is going on? Why is Bill here? Oh god no no no aaaahh!_

Dipper began to puzzle the wondrous situation he found himself in, so he lost concentration of the levitation. _Did I cast something?_ He began to fall, and felt fear build in his chest as he fell towards the ground. He turned his body, trying to fall safely in the way Grunkle Stan showed him, and successfully landed on his butt. It didn't actually hurt that much. _How far up was I?_ This cinched it. Dipper had been levitating in his not-mindscape body. The magic filling him was so distracting, everything felt so intense. And there lay Bill. The crater appeared to be around two feet across, not very deep, and Bill was… very small. About the size of his head. Dipper numbly walked across the now bare ground, picked up his hat, and fixed it on his head properly.

Now to face Bill. Uhh. Bill's leg twitched a bit. There were no cords or chains attached to him, and _is Bill knocked out? In our 3rd dimension? How did he get out of my head? Oh god no. I need to get him to Grunkle Ford Right NOW!_ Bill began to stir a bit, groaning.

"Ulllgh. That really backfired. Bad plan. Stupid Pine Tree. Why he couldn't just be a normal fucking student for once and not fall asleep in class." Bill whined as he stood up, examined himself, readjusted his hat, and peered around. Dipper stared blankly, completely speechless (and thoughtless). "Owwww. So the kid's awake. Great. At least he isn't dead. Confused, angry. Those make sense. In pain - annoyingly not hilarious. " Bill floated up, looked behind a tree, but when Dipper followed, Bill was gone.

_Shit shit I missed my chance. Where did he go? Ohh man this magic… prrrrrr. But he's really small. Huh. Was he actually the real Bill Cipher in my dreams? That would make sense… I don't usually have Bill dreams that often. We destroyed him with Stan's… shit. When Stan got his memories back, He came back too. Then why mess with my dreams every night. Wait no, Bill right. Scratch that. He was definitely draining my power, that snap was waay too intense for anything but, and would explain why I have been getting so much sleep but still feel so tired. I hadn't used any magic today… Ok Dipper snap out of it. You need to figure this out. Also maybe get back to school. No this is serious. What was Bill saying? I'm awake - but were those my emotions he said? Maybe. Probably. He must be reading my mind somehow… Shit. I'm not asleep. Bill Cipher is reading my mind! Oh no no no no crap crap fuck shit Mabel someone help._

During Dipper's thinking process, he paced back and forth. Now, Dipper frantically grabbed his phone, praying it was ok. It was. Mabel. Calling Mabel. No answer. Calling Ford. No answer. Probably busy. Calling Stan.

"Hello, this is the Mystery Shack…" his Grunkle said.

"Grunkle Stan… I need help. It's, it's somethings wrong."

"Dipper? Where are you? Why aren't you in school? Darnit did Ford not answer one of those text thingies?"

"Uhh. Can you just come get me? I… am in the forest near school. Get Mabel too. I'll try to get back to the school, but right now I kinda don't know which way to get back…"

"You're lost!? How did that happen? On my way right now Dipper. Just stay put unless you need to run." his Grunkle sounded first shocked, but that tone quickly turned to concern.

"Ok."

Grunkle Stan hung up. Dipper sat down next to a tree. _This must be shock. But I feel so good. No. Not the time. At least I am not sparking now._

Dipper tried to think, but even just sitting and waiting made him feel woozy, but also like he was in bliss. But then, the adrenaline wore off, and the last thing Dipper remembered thinking was he needed to be safe...

* * *

  
  
Bill Cipher internally cursed his risk taking. Sticking around the Sapling during the daytime, where it might be suspicious, finally screwed him over. It had been a good thing while it lasted though, but now he had been defeated in Pine Tree's mind, and he awoke in a crater. Getting up, Bill groaned and dusted off his mortar, essentially the same thing as a human stretching their muscles.

"Ulllgh. That really backfired. Bad plan. Stupid Pine Tree. Why he couldn't just be a normal fucking student for once and not fall asleep in class."

Readjusting his hat, he looked around. Redwoods and pines, as normal, with the only abnormality to his mindscape being the signs of the battle. "Owwww. So the kid's awake. Great. At least he isn't dead."

That kid had really been practicing - with the recoil boost he hadn't even coherently thought about his actions, they were just instinctual. I want him. I will have him. Pine Tree's emotions washed over the now restored triangle. Bill could barely stand it, there was nowhere he could escape to. Even if he didn't feel any emotions other than on the scale of anger to apathy to glee, the kid's mind shifted in color, hostility, and tone as his emotions played out. The clouds swirled above in a toxic lavender storm about to break, while the whole mind vibrated with his pain.

"Confused, angry. Those make sense. In pain - annoyingly not hilarious."

Bill floated up, headed off towards the memory mansion to do more planning, and attempt to discover the extent of his power transfer. On the way, Pine Tree began doing his regular thinking session. This could be very useful, so Bill paused, relaxed on a rock, and prepared some popcorn.

_Shit shit I missed my chance._ To kill me? Yeah right dork.

_Where did he go?_ This thought confused me, what did he mean? I am still fucking here! _Ohh man this magic… prrrrrr._ I popped some popcorn in my eye, did he literally think a purr? Sooo cute! With his kitten sneezes and curiosity and just awwwwww. I squiggled in glee.

_Was he actually the real Bill Cipher in my dreams?_ Damn. I knew he would eventually figure it out… _That would make sense… I don't usually have Bill dreams that often._ How often did you have them out there in Piedmont? At least these ones aren't all nightmares that make your school life that much harder - I am actually trying to help you.

_We destroyed him with Stan's… shit. When Stan got his memories back, He came back too._ Yep, your sister screwed that one up didn't she. Gotta thank her for that anyways…. Hmm, if I gain enough power maybe I'll go over there for a few nights. Nah, it'd be easier to just make my sapling give her something - traumatize two kids with one night!

_Scratch that._ Phew… wait was he thinking something else. How to have this conversation?

_He was definitely draining my power, that snap was waay too intense for anything but, and would explain why I have been getting so much sleep but still feel so tired._ _I hadn't used any magic today…_ I eyerolled at this train of thought. Why would I keep waking him up? It would be completely unproductive.

_Ok Dipper snap out of it. You need to figure this out._ Is it time for Phase II? Then its a bit less harsh, and his opinions of the others are in a good situation. Though next year would probably be better, since Red won't be around. _No this is serious._

_What was Bill saying? I'm awake - but were those my emotions he said?_ **Whaaaat???**  
 _Maybe. Probably._ When did this happen?   
_He must be reading my mind somehow…_

_Shit. I'm not asleep. Bill Cipher is reading my mind!_ Well fuck. Phase II I guess...

_Oh no no no no crap crap fuck shit Mabel someone help._

Okay. How best to do this? He's got all that power leaking right now, so a fight is a terrible idea. Ahhh. The business meeting ploy. That one puts everyone on the back seat. But he still wants to call for aid. Panic? Him panicking is good. Him numbly trying to call everyone? Not so good. Gotta convince him tonight. Wait. Fordsy's mind reading machine got fixed. Would it hear me? No. I need to keep calm, keep in control. Otherwise this is all for naught and reforming takes decades, if not centuries.

_This must be shock._ Yes Pine Tree, you are in fact in shock. That dumbfounded expression where you just sit there and can barely process anything, that is shock. _But I feel so good._ I mean, honestly you should. Buzzing with power, beating me in a fight, you did good kid. _No. Not the time._

_At least I am not sparking now._

Bill went to set the scene, prep Pine Tree's dream right as Pine Tree began to pass out from the adrenaline rush leaving. It will have to be a quickie, Fez is coming. Safety. Yes, you'll be safe Pine Tree. Nobody will touch you, not with what you just did…

His dream started with him right outside a looming double door (colorless, so he might think he's still awake), but as he opened the door, he found himself in an office, all sorts of books on the shelves, a flickering fireplace, and a spinny leather seat for me. For him, just a decently comfortable seat.

"Ohh Pine Tree," I crooned as I spun around and put my feet on the table. "Take a seat, relax. We don't need to fight. Talking is much better isn't it?"

He looked around, even though everything was in greyscale, he could still tell. "This is an actual dream. I am in the forest right now."

"Ding ding ding! One point to Pine Tree here everybody!" I joked as canned applause surrounded us briefly as the scene filled with color. "You gonna relax? You know, I don't want to hurt you kid. It's no fun, kicking you when you're down. Its gotta be fair, the stakes have to matter. Now I'm sure you've got questions kid, and I've got answers. Shall we work something out?" I wiggled my eyelash suggestively, then gave him a wink.

My sapling reluctantly took a seat, waiting for the other shoe to drop, waiting for this to be a nightmare. "No deals Bill. You don't think I am that stupid do you?" He crossed his arms, stiffly playing along.

"Of course not. I am offering free answers kid. I'll give you three questions, and no matter what they are, I shall tell you the truth. As reward for your improvement…" The TV screen on the wall began to replay moments of him practicing magic, getting better over time, and ended with that little fight sequence.

"That sounds too good to be true."

"Well, of course, I wouldn't do this for anyone. I like you, and you did well, and we've only got so much time before someone comes to wake you up, so this gift will only last during this one dream. Nuh uh uhh. This is very generous, and you just spent all that energy…" I trailed off, staring him in the eyes.

Pine Tree couldn't help but shiver unintentionally beneath my eye, in the setting that seemed so innocuous but really was a nightmare to all. He fidgeted a bit, pondered longer, and finally came to a conclusion.

"Are you in fact, not a dream version of Bill, but the actual Bill Cipher that caused so much chaos last summer, and if so, how did you survive?"

"Nice job kid, turning two questions into one. Yes, I am, and your sister very kindly helped return your Grunkle's memory. Also, I do have near infinite power, you don't really think a memory gun could destroy me? Hahaheh. Even if that one person forgets - others still remember." the last part was spoken in a looming tone, the room growing cold, then suddenly I popped back to normal. "Question two?"

"Why have you chosen me to _possess?/inhabit?/reside in?_ be the only person who has had dreams specifically tailored by you? I have had clear recall of all my dreams, even in nightmares I don't wake up in the middle of the night, and you are always there. Nobody else has this."

"Look kid, I don't have much choice about it. You all won. Huzzah. That left me trapped in one mind - Fez's , and we both know how weird his mind is, and after that mind wipe? Jeeze? Watching him relearn how to con idiots was the most fun I had in an entire year! You are much more interesting. I like you. You have potential Sapling. I could have chosen anyone who sleeps in this shack, but Fordsy has that plate, and even Mabeland weirded me out, and I tried to bring full weirdness to the entire world. You think I'd want to stay in her head all the time? Yeah right. Also. I am bored. So bored. I used to have thousands if not millions of eyes, and now. Now I have none. So yeah, I mess with your dreams. " at this point Bill was shuddering, his black form slowly turning to red and then yellow as he calmed himself down from his rage. I have to be careful not to let things slip.

"So, Mason. Last question. Better make it count." I sneered.

"Whaaa? How do you know…" Pine Tree caught himself before he could finish the thought.

"Yeesh Pine Tree, finish your question. Tick Tock" I rolled my eye and tapped my wrist.

He gulped, clearly aware of his misstep, but went forward with his query. I knew what it would be obviously, but making him ask is the important thing. "How do you know what I am thinking of while I am awake, and where did you learn my name is Mason?"

"Tsk tsk Sapling, you know that's two separate questions. I only said I'll answer three honestly. Do you really want to ask that?"

His mind raced, thoughts scattering everywhere, trying to decide if he wanted both answered and if he could figure out if I was lying, or which question to ask. I just leaned back in my chair, steepled my fingers, and watched.

"You know Pine Tree, I could answer both of those questions truthfully, but we will have to make a deal. Just a simple one. You don't tell Sixer bout this dream of yours, and you don't sit on that mind reading chair, and I'll keep talking with you. Not just now, but in other dreams too. Actually talking to somebody, having someone who won't share your secrets? Someone who appreciates solving puzzles and isn't inherently repulsed by you? How about that? You know I am here now, and you cannot get rid of me - not even if you wipe your own mind."

The shock on his face when I suggested that he mindwipe himself caused his whole mindscape to freeze in place with terror. He sat there, wringing his hands, and he even got up and started pacing. No need to let him try to solve this one all the way out.

"Pine Tree. You have ten minutes of this time left before you wake up. Please do think of something… this is getting boring."

He panicked a little, then quickly made his decision. "I will take that deal, but only if you don't try to drain my energy like that ever again and you don't cause me to wake up or fall asleep whenever you want."

I shrugged. "Sure. Deal?" and I reached out my hand, wreathed in those glorious flames.

He gulped nervously and took my hand "Deal."

"Okay real quick. First: I am in your mindscape. Your thoughts run through here constantly. I hear all of them. Second, your memory palace. I explored it. Have a nice day Pine Tree." I waved to him as the dream began to fade.


	8. Connections

"... dipper. Dipper. DIPPER!"

Dipper screamed as he suddenly spasmed up. "Stop yelling Mabel. Lemme sleep."

"Dipper. Look at me. We need to get you out of there." It was Grunkle Stan, not Mabel. Mabel stood next to him with a long stick, frowning.

Dipper was in the _wait its a clearing now?_ Space where the fight had taken place. The ground lay barren of the standard moss, dirt, pine needles, and clover that normally covered any non-trail ground. Turning around he saw several trees had actually fallen over. _Crap._ He had been laying on one. Trying to focus on what his Grunkle had told him, he couldn't find anything that was trapping him. There was that little crater over there, various scorch marks, and rubble, and _oh that's what he's talking about_ a ring of runes surrounding him.

"Huh?" he said, shaking his head of the dust that had fallen in and replacing his hat. "What's wrong?"

Mabel just glared at him and tried to poke him with the stick, which as it passed over the runes, disintigrated. She now had a much shorter stick. "What the heck kind of circle is this? I knew you were working on wards, but Bro-bro, this is a bit much. You nearly hurt me…" she said, looking down and rubbing her hand over her sweater, which Dipper could now see had a large chunk missing out of the sleeve.

"Dipper I told you to wait, not to make some complicated mumbo jumbo circle that destroys anything trying to enter. Now how are we going to get you out of there? Ford is on his way. What happened."

 _Shit_. Dipper remembered the fight (in reality too?) but even he couldn't understand the runes surrounding him. "Umm guys, I didn't do this. I mean the fight and probably the dust clouds and the pine needles being gone was probably me, I was in a fight with Bill but I didn't make this circle. There was lightning and stuff and I was floating and then I passed out and I thought I was in the mindscape but I wasn't and then after I called you I was?"

Grunkle Stan groaned. "Slow down kiddo. One thing at a time. Can you send something out of the circle?"

Mabel shouted "Yeah Dumdum! Everyone at school could see the dust and hear the explosions and the rumbling" She looked really hurt, like he didn't even try to include her. _Oh fuck I didn't call until after everything._

Dipper facepalmed. "Oh Mabel i'm sorry. It was all just kinda a rush and then things were happening and then you didn't answer…"

Grunkle Stan interjected "Okay, okay, you two have some things to discuss, but you are covered in blood and we have no clue how to fix this. Use your head kid."

Dipper looked down at himself. _Oh. That's not a good sign._ He was bleeding. _And now that I think of it, I don't feel that magic surge anymore._ He searched through his pockets and vest, trying to find something that he wouldn't mind getting destroyed. Eventually he found a small rock wedged under the log, and slowly pushed it over the runes. Nothing happened, except that now there was a small rock on top of them.

His family could see that Dipper had his thinking face on, so grumpily just waited for him to solve this 'little' puzzle.

 _Aha!_ Dipper stepped across the runes, and his family started to scream, but then they saw that he was just fine, and freaked out a bit less (only a bit). Surprisingly, he felt a bit better. That soreness in his bum disappeared. Dipper ran over to his twin and gave her a great big hug. "I'm so sorry Mabel."

After about five seconds of awkward hugs, Grunkle Stan coughed into his fist. "Uh kiddos, maybe we should get going. Mabel grabbed your backpack, so lets just get home. Kay?" he looked clearly uncomfortable.

Dipper mumbled "Yeah, I guess so" and followed his family towards the car. Mabel apparently knew which way to go, and they headed home, back to the Shack.

Later that afternoon, everyone (Including Candy, Grenda, and Wendy) surrounded Dipper as he sat on the couch feeling very uncomfortable. He didn't know what to say. What could he say? And then there was that deal with Bill… _It only specified Grunkle Ford, but what if someone else told him? Would that break it? And I actually made a deal with Bill Cipher. How? What the hell?_

"Guys," he said after staring down at himself for a long time, "I kinda don't feel like talking about it. I'll just go take a shower, and then be in my room. I, I gotta figure things out." Dipper walked glumly away, hands tucked into his pockets as he trudged up the stairs.

From downstairs he could hear his family and friends discussing it in worried tones. They all sounded very confused, but also really scared. Of me? _Ohmygod… I would be too, if all of a sudden Mabel was causing explosions and rambling about Cipher._ Upstairs in the bathroom, he peeled away his sweat and blood stained clothing to examine his wounds and found… None? Grimacing, he turned the water on, and just stared blankly as he took a shower, only reacting when the hot water ran out. He ended up very pruny, and didn't even properly wash his hair. Also, he forgot to bring clothes in. Thankfully, he just had to go up to the attic. He stumbled out of the shower, emotionally drained, rubbed himself half dry, and climbed the stairs to his room, where he collapsed on his bed.

"Dipper!" Wendy yelled, breaking him out of his trance. "Put some fucking clothes on! Gah. I don't need to see your dick." she covered her eyes hurriedly and ran out of the room. Dipper just grabbed a pair of shorts and a tee, put them on, and laid down.

"You can come back in Wendy. I'm not naked anymore." he groaned, covering his face with one arm.

Wendy checked by opening the door, then came and sat down on the edge of his bed. "Don't freak me out like that dude. Not cool." After a while of waiting, she asked "Do you need something?"

"Nah."

"Gonna tell us what that was all about?"

Dipper mumbled something that sounded like don't wanna. "Later. I, I don't know what to say right now. "

"Okay man," she said, with a worried tone in her voice. "I'm gonna head downstairs and let people know you are okay." As she was about to close the door behind her, she looked back one last time and said "Look, when you feel like talking… I won't judge."

Dipper lay there for who knows how long, not wanting to sleep and see Bill, not wanting to see anyone, just wanting to lay there. And he did. He didn't move all throughout dinner, or afterwards when Mabel tried to get him to come down for Ducktective, or when Great Uncle Ford awkwardly asked what happened. He just lay there, long into the night, but eventually, he fell back to sleep.

Even Bill didn't try talking to Dipper, just let him float in a void.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gah I was bad yesterday. I was checking up on a webcomic I read and the kickstarter link on the side was Demon Illuminati coins...
> 
> But! I will have amazing awesome Bill Cipher coins to store in my dice bag. ...Along with other dice from kickstarter. 
> 
> Avoid random acts of splurging people - at least I got my Christmas shopping done...


	9. Chapter 9 - The Sound of Silence

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello Everyone,  
> I want you all to know that this chapter was not posted by the author. I am her roommate and she asked me to post it for her while she is away from her computer. She wanted to make sure that she stay consistent for her readers. So please enjoy reading Chapter 9 - The Sound of Silence!  
> Sincerely,  
> Sami-chan

Dipper didn't speak to anyone for a week. After three days of people pestering him for information, he just left. Walked off into the forest, wandered around, and eventually came to his sanctuary. He stayed there until he ran out of food. Now what was he to do? Try to take some cash from Grunkle Stan without being caught? That wouldn't work, but it was worth a try. So Dipper trudged home, snuck into the house through that window that never shut properly, and snuck down to Grunkle Stan's office. Now was the perfect time - Mabel was at school, Ford would be in the basement, so Stan would have to be in the shop.

Grunkle Stan's office still looked, still smelled the same as always. Dipper knew where a couple of guns were hiding, but not his Grunkle's precious cash. Who knows how long Dipper snooped, trying to find even a twenty, so he could get food from the grocery. But there he was - Stan, looking down at him. Blocking the door, not saying a word. Dipper's expression was haunted, cold, and lifeless, and he returned to searching for the petty cash stash. But he couldn't find it. Maybe because he could barely think, maybe because his Grunkle was incredibly good at stashing stuff away. 

He tried to leave, to go grab money from the register, but when he opened it up he felt Stan's hand press down on his shoulder. Dipper didn't even try to shrug him off, just grabbed a couple of twenties, but now his Grunkle was in the way. Dipper tried to think of a way to escape, but considering he was behind the counter and his Grunkle was right in front of him, he couldn't think of a solution. So he sat behind the register, shoving the money in his pockets, staring off into the middle distance. Maybe Stan would go away. He didn't, so the standoff continued. There weren't even any tourists to distract him. Dipper waited. His Grunkle Stan waited. 

Then, "Grunkle Stan! I'm home! Any sign of Dipper yet?" That would be Mabel. 

"In here honey"

Mabel stood in the doorway, with dark circles under her eyes, and the expression that Dipper knew meant she had been in sweater town. He looked away, unable to meet her eyes. 

"Dipper?" she cried in a tiny voice. He wouldn't look at her. "Dipper." she said more forcefully. 

"I caught him looking for money. He must have been out in the woods this whole time." 

"Bro-bro?" she cried "Would you please look at me? Tell us what happened. We… we love you!" she rushed under their Grunkle's arms and tackled Dipper in a hug. "Everyone has been looking for you. We're all so worried!" She was crying. Her tears left mascara trails, and his shoulder became uncomfortably wet.

Clearly they weren't going to let Dipper go without any supervision for even a second, so he resigned himself to his fate. One of them left to call Ford on the intercom they set up so that you didn't have to open the vending machine every time you wanted to talk to him. Then they must have called Soos, or maybe he just walked in, but when Wendy, Pacifica, Candy, and Grenda all arrived, he knew there was no point. He tried to get up and walk into the living room, and only succeeded due to Mabel squeezing him. He couldn't answer them. 

There was a very long period of silence, interrupted only by the doorbell ringing to deliver pizza. _Oh. Someone must have ordered some._ It smelled heavenly, and he couldn't help but have his stomach growl loudly. They had been whispering amongst themselves, and eventually came to a conclusion. 

Great Uncle Ford was the one to speak (interrogate) him. "Hey. Uhh, we went back to the site to gather evidence. The runes surrounding you were gone. Could you please talk to us?"

Dipper just stared off blankly, but couldn't help but look over at the table with the pizza with the tiniest glimmer of hope in his eyes.

"Do you… uh… want some food?" his uncle was clearly uncomfortable "Look just tell us what happened! Mabel said you said something about Cipher, and we know you dream about him! There was tons of magical residue there - not just yours, but Cipher's too. If he is messing with you we need to know." his great uncle spurted out, but slowly stammered to a halt. "We all just want you to be okay."

Eventually someone handed him a paper plate with a slice of pizza on it. Dipper ate it, really quickly. The food stores in his shelter were… not enough to last four days. _Maybe I should raid the bunker?_ He still wouldn't meet anyone's eyes, and finally the girls and Soos left, leaving him surrounded only by family. They let him grab more pizza, but when he tried to head to his room, they all followed. Clearly they weren't going to let him out of their sight. He ate, then lay in his bed. Mabel stayed, sitting on a chair, watching him, knitting a sweater.

________________________

"Pine Tree! What the hell was that? Where the Fuck were you?"

Pine Tree just blinked, not even fazed by how enraged I was. "This is it! You talk to your family, make up a fucking lie or whatever, but NEVER go to that place again!"

What place? The _________? Its no dangerous place.

I screamed in rage, my body entirely void with just a bright red eye glaring down at the human meat sack who caused me this much… this much frozen moments. The stuckness! Gah! And this much apathy! Seriously!? I held myself back from strangling my sapling, that wouldn't help matters at all. Instead we just had a staring contest. For half the night. 

Before he woke up, I just said "Just talk to them kid. Even if you only tell Shooting Star, you are never going to get anywhere without saying something."

Once he woke up I set about listening very carefully for any subconscious thoughts. He is eating pancakes now. Guilt. Probably from his family asking him something. Withdrawal. A tinge of comfort. That would be Shooting Star. Please just fix my Pine Tree. Now his head is running through a long series of essentially, 'what do I say', 'sorry', and general feelings of regret. 

It felt like he said something to her, because he felt the squeezing pain of his hand, and a sense of relief from the kid. Phew. That was exhausting. Though I have no clue what he actually said through this entire fog of apathy and guilt and numbness. He didn't say much, that is for sure. 

Oh he is falling back asleep. Good sapling. Listen to Bill. I'll fix this.

We were in the entrance to his mindscape, that patch of forest that always began. This was much better. He looked much more like a healthy meatbag than a vampire or nearly dead meatbag. I waited for him to speak, just sitting near him, but not trying to touch him. 

"Bill?" he whispered

"Yes Pine Tree"

"What's going on?"

I felt the urge to joke around, tell him about how he hung upside down on a ball spinning around another ball in a giant swirl of balls, but held myself back. I need to treat this delicately. "There is lots going on, all the time. You'll have to be more specific."

"Oh." There was a long silence. "Why did you scream at me?"

Oh. I really fucked that one up. Lying to him now would be very counterproductive. "I was stuck. Pretty much the entire time you were in the forest, I couldn't move, couldn't think, couldn't do anything. I was trapped in one position, just like my body is. I don't even know how long you were in there for…"

"Oh."

"Would you… like a hug?" I internally cringed as I said that, but Pine Tree is in no state to interpret my expressions right now.

_Yes._ But after a long pause, he spoke "No."

We sat for a while, him quietly interpreting my offer, while I had to resist juggling screaming heads. 

"What is gonna happen at school?"

"Most likely? Nothing. Your grades are impeccable, you can make up pretty much any excuse you want and they'll believe you, you can forge, and if absolutely necessary you can cheat."

"Cheat?" he sounded shocked.

"Cheating is how most people get ahead in life. Your Grunkle is pretty accurate in that "It's only illegal if you get caught." I mimicked Fez's voice perfectly. "What do you think my job is? It's helping people cheat. All you need to do is slip into the mindscape during a test, and go look at the answer key. Besides, you've never been against cheating before…" I trailed off pointedly.

"And when did I cheat?" he stood indignantly, anger tinging his voice.

Good, emotional response. Have to feel in order to make any progress. "Do you really want me to count the times?" I floated in front of him and leaned back against the air, ticking each point off of my fingers, growing new ones as I needed. "Just last summer you constantly used the journal, you redid history how many times in order to make that perfect shot for Wendy?, you copied yourself, you literally brought Rumble McSkirmish to life to win a fight for you…"

He was starting to get really pissed. "All of those times I was just using the resources I had at my disposal!"

"Exactly Pine Tree." I leaned in towards him and forced him to look me in the eye. "You cheated. What do you think survival of the fittest is? It's all about who cheats the best. And smart people are very good at cheating. You don't want to be normal. You want to be extraordinary."

He tried to avoid my eye, looking sheepish. "Don't worry Pine Tree. It's nothing to be ashamed of. Your entire family is a bunch of con men and cheaters. Even your parents. If they didn't cheat, you couldn't live here - you'd be in Oakland, and you would probably be dead. If you thought life in Piedmont sucked… well you know about the dangers of living in Oakland."

"I don't believe you. You are just trying to manipulate me like you always do, so fuck off Cipher."

"Well sure Pine Tree, I cheat too. So I guess you'll head off to your dreams now? I don't always customize them you know. That just wouldn't be fair. Dream well." I winked at him.

He huffed and disappeared, dropping the lucidity so he could actually get some proper sleep.


	10. Bittersweet Lies and Uncomfortable Truths

Slowly I began to speak to my family, bit by bit. Mabel first, and in haltering steps explaining the fight, how He was there, listening. How I didn't know where that power came from, and that I could barely remember it all. Lying to Mabel hurt, but could I really say that I swore that I saw Cipher in reality? It didn't make any sense, and honestly (seriously what the hell was that) I barely know what happened. _It has been kinda foggy. I have never told anyone about the sanctuary, never even thought about telling them, except when asking Wendy for supplies. Really need to fix that place up sooner rather than later. Use the sizing device on bunker supplies? Ah, and I can strip anywhere Ford won't likely go to. But other supplies still require purchasing..._

Grunkle Ford came to the conclusion that I had a surge of magical energy (from adrenaline) because I thought I saw Cipher in the window - I didn't correct him. That I had a mental snap from the nightmares, or some other trigger, and I rushed out and battled the hallucination I had of Cipher. Cipher would have been present there in the mindscape, but a mindscape battle wouldn't damage the surrounding area as much. Then, as the adrenaline faded I insticually wished to be safe, creating that warding circle, and I could trust no one. The surge then bled out of me while I was asleep, leaving me confused (because I literally didin't know what I was doing) and highly irrational. Trusting no one led me to flee somewhere into the forest (correct), and I returned half starved (also correct).

He hypothesised that since magic can be influenced by emotion, and the more you understand and practice a type of magic, the more complicated you can control it with fewer words. (Much of this I gleaned from the Journals) This is why rituals involve a lot of chanting, because they require large amounts of power and cannot be practiced easily at all, whereas elemental magic and personal wards (what I have been working on mostly) can be as simple or as complex as you like, though the consequences of not being prepared can be just as dangerous. The surge of energy gave me subconscious control, more like muscle memory of using my magic. That warding circle was in one of the spellbooks I had perused, and I happened to remember it _?_

Healing and mind magics are some of the most dangerous magics, because of backlash. Screwing up a ward won't likely kill you, but screwing up a healing spell can drain your entire life force, or cause cancer, or inflict more damage. Screwing up mind magic well… it can lead to incidents like with the gremgoblin, or leaving your body entirely, leaving it open to anyone to possess, rather than keeping that connection. Trying to read someone's mind can lead to them reading your mind, or worse. _After all, Bill is entirely insane. Honestly that is why I haven't tried working on these yet, though I guess I have the magical reserves and potential to do it._ And I have read too many horror stories about mess ups with teleportation.

I did go back to school after a couple days, but didn't give any explanation to the crowds that asked, and I had requested Mabel keep it private. In some ways realizing how much of a badass I was - I was a badass - was great. So what if schoolwork was boring? With Bill in my head, I would never get away from weird, and he offered to answer any of my questions… hmmm, there is a lot of potential there. Though how could I ever decide what to ask first. (I ran through probably a hundred topics in just one day before deciding on my first question.) _And if I could be certain he wouldn't lie… wait. This is the deal that got me into a puppet… gah! All this second and third guessing of myself will just make me even more paranoid. I succeeded. He is stuck. I can use this._ He only hears my thoughts, so if he wants to find out something I wouldn't think of, he has to beg me to find out.

People keep looking at me weird. Random classmates want to be in my group for class projects, even without that whole get the smart guy in your group and make him do all the work sentiment. Mabel insists that people actually like me, but Candy makes much more sense.

"Dipper, they like you because you have power. Like Pacifica. Even if she is a bitch, she still has mass influence because she has much monies. You do not have the monies, but you saved the town. You don't just do mystery hunts - you help them. Lazy Susan gives you free pancakes when Mabel or Mr. Stan isn't there. And you have real power. The classmates know that you have things they don't, and that you could disrupt any of their cults. Who would argue with you? Mabel is like a disco ball, nobody can resist her. But you made Pacifica less of a bitch. You are… a link. Link to the forest, and the magic within. And people want power, they want to be around power, they suck up to you. Who would hurt you when you casually use superpowers?" She pulled out her ward necklace (very glittery) and her size ray _I really need a decent name for those._

"Oh and it's 2x. That side right there has to be twice the size of that one, because we know two of the angles. See?" she quickly corrected my mistake in my math homework. "Mabel made this ward with all of us, because you wanted us all to be safe on adventures. Mabel would give out tons of these, and they would be soo cute, but other than her, to get one they have to ask your family. Your family would not just give these out. Mr. Stan would make many fakes and sell them for at least 50 dollars. Mr. Ford is almost a myth, so few people see him, and he has lasers. Do you have laser gun?"

"No. I could get one though, but I don't trust my aim."

"Wendy's family can teach you accuracy. But you see my point. This Alice device is even rarer. You made the prototype last summer, and it is strong. I have _Oh, that is a good name._ used it to make spiders slightly bigger in closets," she giggled at her pranks "and to make my textbooks small. We can squish people with our fingers. No Dipper, we will not, but we could. I got this power from being Mabel's friend, and exploring with you both. Mabel can not give Alices out to all her friends - Mr. Ford would say it is irresponsible, and that power like that is too much for children. _He would._ You see?"

"I think I do. Thanks Candy. It has been very creepy." I gestured vaguely around to indicate the whole not being a social outcast thing.

"Yes. Before you two arrived, me and Grenda were also social outcasts. It is odd, and empowering to not be."

We finished our homework, then I took my shift in the shack. (Me and Candy generally do it together, because we can focus and get it done much faster that way.) _Also Mabel shouts "Nerd alert!" if we do it near her. Or just begs for answers._ Because it is a school afternoon, the shop was unsurprisingly empty, so I mused over her advice. _Wait. I could make runes and sell them myself. Should I try the danger sense one? Or the one that cracks and breaks as it blocks attacks?_ Ideas were coming to mind.

* * *

 

Pine Tree, Pine Tree, Pine Tree. Kid you are so dense sometimes. Candy is correct. And you want more power. I can give you more power. Let Bill help you out. Because crap kid, this drama is booorrrring. Watching is easy when you have thousands of eyes. Having none? I calmed myself. No need to waste power. Soon Pine Tree will ask me for help with magic, and my puppet strings will grow stronger. I can use him while he sleeps.I just need to be patient. This would take decades in the void.

"Oh Dippingsauce!" I roared. "How was your day? Mine was boring." I perched in front of him, but because he was ignoring me, I poked him. Hah. Take that! "Seriously kid, you don't have to ignore me. I'm not going anywhere, and its not like I have anyone to tell your secrets to. I've already seen them all anyways."

My sapling continued to not ask about magic.

"You know, mind manipulation isn't that hard." I mused, trying to get him to respond. "You already know about mob mentality, but do you wanna know how to get a mob to form in the first place? Its great!"

No response, but he was interested.

"Fine kid, have a book about it. I guess maybe we will talk tomorrow night - if you sleep." I grumbled as I dropped a psychology book in front of my sapling. Start with that. Get him to see humans as the morons they are, then he won't feel bad about using them. This could go so much faster if he just asked. Or didn't wake himself up in the middle of the night after crafting his own paranoid nightmares. Maybe… I use his imbalanced hormones against him. Though mocking his ineptitude at self pleasure… I need to not mock Pine Tree. No matter how tempting it is. He needs to trust me. Trust Bill. Let his guard down. It will happen eventually, and this is still much much better than old fart Fez.

"If you need more books just grab them, like you'd summon anything else in here."

I left him to read. If he doesn't appreciate this, I'll… I don't know what I would do. Give him nightmares? I do that anyway, or he just makes his own. Make him not remember anything from while he was asleep, causing him to become paranoid about what happened? But then he would stay up for as long as possible… 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Boo hospital stays. Boo PTSD and depression. Thank you all for understanding. I had my friend post Friday's chapter for me, and if I hadn't been released today, well, I would be pissed. 
> 
> Though its really hard to write a story without your computer. I can respond to comments now. And yay for buffers!
> 
> Wanted: One proofreader who actually has seen Gravity Falls  
> Reward: Possibly one Real Life Cipher Coin, Definitely the chance to talk to me and read far ahead and discover the secrets of Gravity Falls XP


	11. Introduction to the Kama Sutra

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok so I am really nervous about this chapter. This is my first time writing porn. We finally get that E rating and all those tags I put up there that you all were waiting for. 
> 
> Please I'm terrified. 
> 
> Also: Bill Cipher is a dick

"So Pine Tree, what'll it be tonight? Do we do this whole song and dance, play this game again? Cause I am perfectly ready." Cipher taunted, as he did each night. Every freaking night he pesters me, lets me get just enough sleep to fake it all. I tried to ignore his great annoyance. "What are the stakes tonight? Ooh, Pine Tree. You know it's very rude to ignore someone when they are talking to you." His eye somehow managed to pout, but then a sharp pain to my ribs informed me that he was going to poke me with his cane until I responded.

I looked up, giving Cipher the greatest death glare I could. "Fuck off Cipher. Go bother someone else. I am sick of you."

All of a sudden I found myself pulled to my knees as his cane hooked around my neck and jerked me up. His normally golden eye had just the start of black and red filling in. "You think I like this? You think I want to be here? Stuck? In one mind, incapable of doing anything!" As he ranted, his eye darkened and blue flames flickered around his form. "And here I thought I was being nice. Aren't I nice to you? I let you sleep - I got rid of those pesky school nightmares. I think I deserve some respect here. I even corrected your terrible grammar."

I rolled my eyes. What a drama queen. I shrugged free of Bill's cane and perched in one of the endless trees. _Welp. I might as well get some studying done until he finishes bitching._ I summoned a book. Oh. This one seems to be a philosophical text on life and desire, and the triggers that spark love in its many forms. _At least any topic ever written about it is in here. One of the only positives of Cipher stuck in my mind._

"Oh Pine Tree," he crooned. "I never knew you thought that of me. You want me here. I'm flattered. I could just fall apart at the thought." Which he promptly did, every brick that composed his body crashing to the ground. Then he was back, peeking over my shoulder. And giggling. Not cackling. I looked around myself, flailing to see what was so amusing this time, and of course, fell out of the tree. _Damn that hurt._

I picked myself up, rolling my shoulder to get the kinks out, then dusted off the dirt and twigs that inevitably wound up on my clothes. Looking up, Bill sat on the branch I previously occupied, holding my book and swinging his legs like a little kid. He then swung upside down, as though he was on monkey bars. And his stupid hat just floated there. Out of reach. "Pine Treeeeeeee" he whined. "I'm boorrred. All you ever do is study, and you don't even ever ask me any questions. Maybe I should just go bug Shooting Star. At least her - "

I quickly interrupted him "No, no. Don't do that. You want to teach me? Anything?"

"Well sure Pine Tree. You are my favorite meat sack." Yay. "You can't help but peek into Things That Man Was Not Meant To Know. You're funny. How about I teach you what's in this book. Whaddaya say? How's it sound?"

I peered at him skeptically. "And what do you get out of this? You never do anything for free."

"It'll be at least more interesting than floating around here while you sit and read, and I won't have to listen to your stupid high school drama boredom. Besides, I know what you want, and I can show you it all. You've already memorized Sixer's Journals backwards, forwards, upside down, and invisible. I can hear all the questions in your head. Just ask. What could go wrong? The Apocalypse?" he rolled his eye, and if he had a mouth, it would be a grin to rival the cheshire cat. He knew me too well. _Comes from living inside my head. But there has got to be a catch here…_

"Fine. I'll bite. You teach me the contents of that book better than and faster than I would have otherwise, and we'll see how it goes."

Cipher snapped his fingers, and all went black.

* * *

 

Pine Tree's expression went from fear at the scene change, to confusion at the room they were in, to shock at his nakedness, to rage at my actions.

"Here's the catch sapling" as I tossed the book at him. Numbly he grabbed it. His face was shockingly red. "So the books in here, they aren't in your mind. They're in mine. And I, I speak all languages. You read them in their native language, but you never notice unless you are looking for something in a specific language." I waved my hand across the book as Pine Tree backed himself up to the headboard. Before his eyes, the book changed into English.

"It's commonly known as the Kama Sutra." I shrugged, and tipped my hat to him. I interrupted him before he started to stammer. God this was hilarious. "Now you and me both know that you would never get through this on your own. It's not your fault, you cannot master this knowledge by oneself." I made a very exaggerated shrug. At this point he had covered himself with the silken gold sheets.

"W wait… th… this is my d dream. I ca can control it." he stuttered adorably, his blush taking over his entire face.

"True, but I gotta at least try to teach you before we give up." I floated up and sat right in front of him. "I have none of your pesky human emotions, including this irrational desire to procreate outside of biological reproduction. So I propose we do the absolute easiest thing possible. You literally don't have to do anything. I, orally stimulate your genitals" I gestured dismissively with my cane in the direction of his penis. "until you climax."

"What!! You want to suck my…" This kid is such a riot, trying to hide himself, nobody can hide themselves in their own wet dreams.

"No. I do not want to. I have none of those desires. However, you have had this desire." I shot him a pointed glance, which just caused his jaw to drop. "What do you think I do while you are at school?" I rolled my eye at the thought of those experiences. "Either way, this would require me to take a form more… desirable… to your mind. Now how anything could improve on my perfection I could not tell you. I would at least need a mouth." I turned black with my eye turning red at the thought. "Just pick a form."

Secretly, I laughed my ass off as I explained the situation. Though taking a human form is repellent, it could be useful to bend my sapling. His guard might be lowered faced with a familiar form. I listened, and watched as the human shape solidified.

"This body… you will possess it tonight? So it'll be you?"

"Just me. After you design it, I will shift into it." Anticipating his next question, I answered "I have no gender preference, I don't actually have one, they are a human societal construct, also there are way more than two, but for this we need to stick to human anatomy. Society has generally been patriarchal, and as the Eye of Providence, I supposedly am the eye of a male god. Most of my cults considered me male, or neither really, but a few worshiped me in a female identity. Just come up with something that will stimulate your hormones. We are gonna be here until this finishes, even if it takes days, and I don't think you want to explain why you have an erection while Star and your Grunkles attempt to wake you. "

He finally decided on a form. A lean, tanned male body a few inches taller than Pine Tree. Blond hair that reached halfway to the shoulders, but with sharpened teeth and nails. Not bad. He did neglect to fill in the genitals, so when I changed my form, I gave myself a healthy male, but not excessively large penis. After I finished, Pine Tree blushed in a very different way. I had one eye covered by bangs, and wore tight fitting black jeans. I smirked at his adorable blush.

"Dipper. Neither of us like this. But we have to at least have one lesson. I don't care about meat sack appearances. Can we finish this sooner rather than later? Come, lay down on the edge of the bed. Later you can study the theory of when biting and scraping with nails is best, but for now just try to relax, and let yourself stop thinking. I'll wait until you are ready."

He paused, face bright red, and gulped before he carefully scooted to the edge of the bed. He took a few deep breaths, and gripped the sheets tightly, then grimaced and indicated I should start.

He really needed to relax. I began by licking my lips, just to tempt him, leaned in, and gently blew hot air on his member. He seemed to struggle internally with the sensation. I gave little kisses up the side of his thigh, and licked his side. He tensed up, so I said "Dipper. Look at me. Relax. Tell me if something makes you uncomfortable. We can take this as slow as you like" I then kissed his tip, gently licking away his precum. He was starting to get hard, so I continued my ministrations, caressing the outside in kisses and warm breath and tongue. When he made an adorable eep sound, I took him inside my mouth. He involuntarily bucked in, sending himself deeper down my throat then expected. I peered up at him, and he nodded for me to continue, even though he was covered in nervous sweat.

I have a much more flexible tongue than any human, so I brought him to attention before I began to bob up and down, sucking, twisting around and around so that all thoughts bled away into pure bliss. I carefully watched him, to see when he finally relaxed, and when he finally stopped thinking. The only sounds he made were whimpers and moans. Good. I brought him right to the point, and as he cried out "Bill! I think I'm gonna ….. cum!" I perfunctorily stopped, removed my mouth, and looked him in the eyes. He limply rutted against me, cock throbbing in time to his heartbeat. Immediately he whined, pleading, saying "Bill, please, please, I can't take it anymore."

I slowly climbed on top of him, making sure to keep him fully erect and about to cum, but not letting him release. Keeping him at the brink, where the whole world disappeared but this bed, these sheets, and our body sweat. And of course his painfully twitching desire. I climbed myself up over his body, and whispered gently in his ear.

"You wanna cum." he nodded frantically "Then let's make a deal." He gasped, but he had no chance, not with his back instinctively arched into me.

"No, no, no deals. Never"

"Are you sure?" I crooned as I gently stroked him, knowing he was so blissed out he could barely think. "You haven't even heard the details."

"Please Bill, just let me cum. Pleeeaaaseee" he whined.

"You wanna learn right?" He nodded frantically. "Then how about this, Two nights a week I teach you like this" and I moved my bangs to the side, showing him the void where my eye should be. Inside the void flickered images faster than anyone could track. "This is the fastest way of teaching I can do without making you insane." He definitely wanted it. His curiosity managed to break through his hormones for just a second. "And once a week, we work through this," and I ran my hand from his mouth down his body to touch the twitching tip of his erection. And… back to hormones in charge. "Or, we give up on this, and I show you the secrets of the universe three times a week. but you will not be able to masturbate."

He tried to think, but his glassy expression indicated just how hard this was for him. "Wait. Why? Why… help me?"

"Like I said, you're my favorite human. And why fight? We're stuck together, why not make the best of it? I mean, there will be consequences for learning that fast, mainly massive headaches. You suuure you want to turn this down?"

He gulped, and I hear his clouded thoughts try to string together what my plan was, but any time he got close to coherency I would just tweak his nipple, or run my finger along his shaft, or breathe in his ear, and it shut down his train of thought. "Please. Please just fuck me! Please?" he begged. Oh man hearing him beg felt so damn good. He tried to rut against my thigh, but I wouldn't give him the satisfaction. Once he is begging, that is just the beginning, he starts to need me, he will end up coming to trust me, listening to what I say, relying on me. And then Pine Tree can be my hands while I am here. He can get me out. Right under Sixer and Fez's noses. I had to hold myself back from chuckling.

"Do we have a deal?" with a long stroke, designed to bring him right to the peak. He gasped and moaned, arching his back and nearly shoving his shaft in my face. I began moving my head back down, giving one quick kiss, entangling my hand in his.

"Oh god yes! Please! Deal, just let me…" and he moaned as I plunged down on his shaft sucking frenzied, up and down, and he released inside, shaking all the while. I swallowed, and licked my lips. Not bad. Tantric energy has that certain flavour to it. I can see why incubi and succubi are considered so common. Oh dear, it looks like he didn't notice the blue fire surrounding our hands. Still holding on, I climbed back up across his after-orgasm high and gave him a quick peck on the lips.

"Enjoy your sleep kid. This will all seem fuzzy in the morning, so don't worry." I lifted myself off, completing the handshake, feeling the rush of the power as it surged into my mortar. I tucked him in, and disappeared, allowing him to have happy dreams for the entire night, and wake up fully refreshed. Good boy. I can meld my sapling, even from in here. 


	12. Afterglow

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bonus chapter this week cause its Halloween and the next two chapters are Halloween chapters. Next chapter on Wednesday, then on Friday.
> 
> But I really need to write faster/more, so that I keep my buffer stocked up.

Blearily, Dipper heard the sound of BABBA in the background. He snoozed the alarm and rolled over. He felt amazing, warm, soft. Everything felt heavenly, but

_Oh gaawd. My boxers. Soaked._ His face smushed into the pillow, Dipper blushed, began imagining, trying to remember his dream. _Wendy? Nah. Candy? Chained up, looking up at him with raw need. No that wasn't it. Pacifica? Lying in a bed of feathers, covered just enough to show on TV? A little dove, fallen from her nest…_ Suddenly an image of a blond man peering up at him from _his rightful place, right between his legs, PULLING. Ahhhh._ Dipper's cock twitched in imagination of all three scenes. Ohhh.

Damn. He turned off the alarm once again. _No time for a full… blurgh. Caffeine. Have to shower. Sticky._ He stumbled out of bed, trudged downstairs, ignored the sounds of Mabel in the bathroom, and got his coffee on autopilot. Mmmmm. He smiled, staring out into space as he drank his coffee.

"Bro-bro! Bathroom's free." called Mabel as she came downstairs. As she poured her glass of _shudder_ Mabel Juice, she glanced at her twin. "Oooohh. Did you have a nice night?"

"Shaddup. I'm go take my shower now." More awake now, he quickly finished his morning preparations, but since he had to take a shower, he was running late as he rushed out the door to Mabel, already in their cart. Dumping his backpack in the back, he prefaced "Nuh uh. No bugging me about it."

Evading Mabel's questions about his night, he hurried to class. Geometry is a lot less terrifying when you have to deal with the real thing every night. _SHIT. Was that? Bill?_ Internally Dipper began to panic, which to everyone else around, looked like his normal geometry panicking. Completely sober and alert now, he remembered…

...blushed into his textbook…

...cringed…

...and remembered the Deal. Fuck.

Dipper was pretty shellshocked for the rest of the day, going through the motions of his daily life, while internally, his mind scrambled together emotions, goals, that hypnotic flickering, promising answers. And he did Not Want to See Bill as a Sex… partner. Eww. What loopholes existed in this deal? And why could Dipper not stop making them? _Because Bill Cipher is an ass and knows me better than I know myself, and has had thousands of years of manipulating humanity._

_And Bill, you do not have to worry. There is no god damn way I would ever tell Ford about last night._

He raced into Mabel's room. "Mabel? I uh… have a confession." She, knowing that it had only been a few weeks since his emotional breakdown, took this seriously.

"Come on Dippingsauce, you can tell me about it. I have a sweater I need to work on so you won't even have to look at me." _Wow. Thanks Mabel._ Dipper lay down on her bed, while she sat at the base working on another sweater.

_What exactly should I say? Ohh. I just have to say it. She'll probably laugh, but it's Mabel. Ohhh kaay. Here we go Dipper. You can do this._ "So, umm, you know that fight? The one I had with Cipher? I know I told you he was in my dreams, but it's actually completely true. I keep being an idiot. He's been in my head since we got here. I just… didn't want to believe it, and can you blame me? I thought it was just paranoia, or more nightmares…"

"Last night. I think. I had sex with Bill Cipher." he squeaked out.

"Whaat?" Mabel turned around in disbelief, seeing Dipper's giant blush. "Explain!"

"So he said he is stuck in my mindscape. He was definitely leeching power from me. I don't trust him at all. The thing is it makes sense. He survived, stuck in Grunkle Stan's head, then moved over to mine, to torment me or something. Except he hasn't been torturing me that much. I mean yeah I still have nightmares, but once I caught him in the act and we fought… he tried to explain. One thing I'm sure of is he wants to be free. He whines all the time about not being able to see, being impotent, being stuck. So I think he wouldn't want me to die, probably cause he thinks he can manipulate me into feeding him energy faster than… well anyone else I guess. He said nothing can stop him from coming back, its just a matter of time. And he gets easily bored. He can read my thoughts Mabel! All of them! He knows my name! And I keep… being a fucking idiot. I keep making stupid deals. I've made two. The first one was right after the fight - pretty much don't tell Ford the details. "

"Last night I screwed up bad. He always bugs me, tries to get me to talk to him, but I just ignore him, right? He can't really do anything in the real world. Mabel, if I start acting… like Bill is controlling me… lock me up or something. Please. But anyways, so last night I was reading a book - in my sleep yes - when Bill is all 'I betcha I can teach you better…' I knew there had to be a catch, why was I so stupid?, but I relented. He. He. Well. Gave me a blowjob…" Dipper was blushing so hard, but also red with fury. "And… this is gonna sound stupid but… he wouldn't let me come until I made a deal with him. And it doesn't make sense. It's really just him showing me knowledge, or I guess having sex with me? Why? I don't get it Mabes? Is he really that bored? Am I still his puppet? I don't know!" Dipper cried into Mabel's chest, dripping snot all over the now abandoned sweater-in-progress. "It just seems too good to be true you know? Free knowledge superfast, with only bad headaches as the main side effect? Maybe he is like investing in me…"

At this point Mabel interjected, rubbing her brother's back gently. "Dipper. What Bill did isn't ok. He forced you into that deal. He's probably trying to make as many as possible to break out. Hoping that him tempting you with knowledge - which you really couldn't resist - will make you like him. I mean, if he is stuck in your head, he is probably pretty lonely. Just think things through. Don't make any rash decisions."

"Okay."

Dipper did his homework, trying to get as far ahead as possible. Bill had warned him about headaches, and Bill thought pain was hilarious. If Bill was going to warn Dipper, it was probably really bad. But it might just be worth it, depending on how much he could learn. _Either two or three nights a week, but he couldn't masturbate… what is that all about? Am I supposed to get all sexually frustrated? Or does he want me to masturbate, and then he has sex with me? I don't know… I mean he has seen all my failed attempts at romance. No. He wants me to fail. He wants me in a position he can force deals on me without me being rational. He wants me to beg._

Mabel was worried for her brother. He had been getting over his paranoia, slowly, but he had been getting better. And now he is in full paranoia mode - with great reason, but what would Bill do with Dipper… probably something terrible. She didn't know what to do, it is a twin secret after all. Maybe there is some sort of medicine that could stop Dipper from going to his mindscape. For now she would watch out for him. Its her job as alpha twin.

Dipper didn't end up getting very far in his homework, he got all of today and tomorrow's done, but no further. He was anxious, worried, but he had to sleep. It took what felt like forever, but then there he was - in a handcrafted dream.

The room Dipper awoke _is it really waking up if its entering a dream? Whatever._ In looked like it had been designed specifically to be as comfortable as possible. The ceiling and walls were like a very dim planetarium, and there were a bunch of different chairs scattered about. All of them very comfortable, and sitting in a beanbag was his least favorite dream demon, Bill.

Bill waited for Dipper to get his bearings, then began in a surprisingly not annoying voice "Pine Tree, you'd like me to explain how this whole thing works." It wasn't a question, Bill had heard his thoughts, but Dipper nodded anyway. "You know how when you cram - wait no you don't… you know how you felt last year as you were trying to solve the mysteries? How after you learned a ton you got a headache. That is normal. Growing hurts. Essentially, after tonight you will know probably about an entire college course. You aren't in college yet, but I actually want you to remain sane, so this whole thing takes about fifteen real life minutes. After that, you have to process it. That is why the headaches. You will have taken and mastered an entire class in one night. It only works on theoretical material, I cannot teach you mastery of something that actually requires practice, so I can help you with magic theory, spellcasting, and all that, but you won't suddenly be able to cast, much less control what I have shown you."

"You were worried about homework, and how the headaches will interfere - they will. Since you couldn't decide what you wanted to learn tonight, I propose your English class. That way, you'll already know everything you would learn there - and honestly more - the public school system is one of man's stupidest inventions. Homework for that class would be a snap. The main problem is, you have to relax. Use your meditation to empty your mind, and choose whichever chair is most comfortable. I'll be sharing my knowledge directly with you, so I know you will worry about bias. That is why we stick to facts, or when interpreting metaphors… well… reasonable meatsack opinions."

Dipper nodded reluctantly, but if this worked, it would be amazing. So he fumbled around, trying out different chairs and couches, until he found a super nice recliner. "Okay. This is the one. How long will the headaches last?"

Bill disappeared all the other chairs, and came forwards. "Probably all day tomorrow. Going to bed early on these nights helps. Don't take any medicine to make the pain go away, at best it will do nothing, and at worst you'll forget some of the material. Now relax, and watch." Dipper found the chair very helpful for the relaxing portion, tried to clear his mind of questions, and watched the demon carefully.

Bill Cipher swelled in size, until he took up the entire field of view, but instead of obnoxious yellow, he grew as a void, a galaxy, an emptiness. Then it began. Thousands, no millions of concepts and ideas poured into his mind, flickering all around. Pages of a book, now a broken tree, each image or idea passing by within a moment. Dipper's body seized, and he tried to grab his head, to close his eyes, but he couldn't move. The void was everywhere, everything. There was no Dipper, no Bill, no anything but pure knowledge. And then there was nothing. Dipper welcomed it, floated among it, and was at peace.

* * *

 

Bill, however, was anything but at peace. Of course he had done that with mortals before, but never expecting them or even hoping for them to stay functional long term. It tended to lead to highly irrational behavior, which is why he always got those meatbags to do their part of the deal first. Usually they'd off themselves, or explode in hilarious fashion. But Pine Tree seized up during it, and this whole thing would be pointless if his Sapling went and died on him. Or started raving, cause Sixer would notice that, and would probably force his Sapling onto that encryption chair or memory wipe him.

Pine Tree's memory palace shuddered, bulked, squeezed. They did not suddenly have to assimilate that much information, so Bill frantically sped about, keeping the thoughts organized, settling them into books (That is the form Pine Tree kept knowledge unrelated to memories in), coalescing them into his literature library, catching them. It had taken too long, they had discussed too much before beginning. This next day would be hell for his Sapling.

Bill pushed on their link, trying to force his thoughts through as the boy awoke.

**_Don't think. If you try to understand it it will just hurt more. Stay calm._ **

Dipper Pine's mindscape all day was just pain, pain, pain, and more pain. This is why Bill never stayed in the heads of his puppets after dosing them with their reward. He didn't care if they broke. Pine Tree is not allowed to break from this. He will handle it. He can handle it. 


	13. Samhain Plans

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bonus Samhain Chapter Mina!
> 
> Halloween Smut coming Friday.
> 
> I really appreciate all the kudos and love and hits... though I don't know if I can keep up the pace (my chapter lengths are getting longer for the most part). I am always happy to hear your theories.

Dipper woke up with his head pounding. He blinked himself awake, and slowly cleared his mind, so that his body could perform his morning ministrations on autopilot. Through school, it persisted, but nobody noticed (or ever notices) that Dipper wasn't taking notes, but in fact doodling to help his memories settle. It's not like I need to pay attention in class anyway. Lunch is the hardest part of the day, because the aches still echoed as he took each step, and as the students stampeded along, the thunder in his head spiked. Mostly it was hard because people would try to talk to him. That is why he (pretended?) to read a book these days.

After school Mabel would hang out with Grenda and Candy, and he would head home to rest. Thankfully she understood the routine, and Grunkle Stan thought he was studying or working on homework. Finally around dinner the headaches had mostly passed, and he could think without endangering his memories.

Tonight dinner was Grunkle Stan's spaghetti. _Oh joy._ Dipper rolled his eyes, but then smelled garlic bread. _Aaah. That smells good._ He sat down at the table half-heartedly listening to Mabel ramble about her day… _Is it really that close to Halloween? Crap it is!_

Dipper faceplanted on the table, groaning in mortification. "Oh god Mabel I'm so sorry! I completely forgot. Ugh I'm such an idiot. How could I not have noticed…" he grumbled an apology, eyes pleading at his twin to forgive him.

Mabel grinned scarily wide "Don't worry Dip-Dot! I've taken care of everything!" _Oh god. I'm so screwed._ "It's ok Dipper, you've been really busy and distracted. But I gotta know… are we gonna have to do a bunch of exorcisms or deal with any particular monster, or just be prepared for the usual? Cause I have different costumes for different plans. First, we are gonna do about an hour of trick - or - treating, then go to the party. Oh quick question - how good are your illusions coming along? Cause they could be a huuuge help with decorations. You can't do transformations right? Cause if you can and you haven't told me…" she huffed in the middle of her imperious questioning.

"Oh Grunkle Ford," she called out as he came into the kitchen "how worried should we be about monsters on Halloween? Are there tons of ghosts? Or fae? Or what? What protections should we have? I only have three days to implement them into our costumes!"

Grunkle Ford also looked a bit taken aback at the sudden interrogation, so he pushed his glasses up. "Anomalies to tend to perk up around this time, but I will have to check on the particulars… I haven't really 'done' Halloween in around fifty-ish years, … How's the spaghetti Lee?" he tried to change the subject awkwardly.

"Mabes. You gotta give us a sec to process - remember we nerds think things through first. I could probably do some decent illusions - how's a flying dragon sound? Fog'll be simple, no problems there. I haven't worked on auditory, but I can do a chill wind. Are we talking temporary? Or do you want me to have these last the night? Because I'll need help if these need to work while I am not present."

Dipper rubbed his chin in thought. "Though I could easily whip up a mixture for colored fog that'll last hours, and I can do that tomorrow… Oh and yeah I think we should be prepared for either, Samhain is one of the times the barriers between worlds are weakest, but I think there would mainly be more of the fae we already know, just more public. Problems would be the morning after… for them that don't want to go back home. Night of we should be good. It's a festival after all. I'll check tonight - I hope we have rowan wood - it isn't local."

By this point Grunkle Stan was thoroughly overwhelmed with information, and when he brought out the barely passable pasta, he rubbed his head. "Kids, Ford. Too much information. One thing at a time. Right now - dinner. You can do your nerd stuff after, and Mabel you can check my costume - I know you want to. I'm the scariest there is!"

Dipper and Mabel looked awkwardly at each other, sharing a glance that said " _He doesn't remember._ " They glanced away from their Grunkle and ate.

* * *

 

While Pine Tree and his family were having dinner, Bill knew he had a problem, one he had to solve. Giving his Sapling this information, it took a lot out of Bill. And the whole consideration that Pine Tree was HIS Sapling. Why am I so possessive of this meat sack - above and beyond that he is useful. Why am I so enraged at the thought of others touching him?

This required debating. Going to a corner of Pine Tree's mindscape, a part Bill had been personalizing a bit, Bill Cipher split himself apart, unfolded into his three main aspects. There was the side of him that tended to be positive, the negative side, and the side that desired fun, and despaired over boredom.

(-) "We have a problem mes. We find ourselves overly concerned for the Pine Tree. We find ourselves using more energy than necessary to manipulate him."

(Fun) "Well yeah, except that all this pisses off Sixer, and when it comes time to finally reveal..." Fun just started laughing himself to pieces.

(+) "Point. The Sapling is becoming addicted to us. To our knowledge. Our puppet strings grow stronger each day. And Shooting Star aids in his manipulation of Sixer and Fez."

(-) "Pine Tree is very bad at deceiving Sixer, if Sixer noticed. And Pine Tree knows that we are manipulating him. He does not trust us at all. This venture is a huge risk. The Sapling does not even have to break the deal in order to screw us all over. This is a net loss currently, and it continues to be. If we cannot find or convince him into feeding us, and he dies, we do not have enough energy to even slip into Shooting Star"

Fun stopped laughing for a moment, and said "Imagine what we could do to Shooting Star… Pine Tree would come begging us if she ever showed any signs of Falling. And while I looovve the image of Pine Tree begging us to save his sister, it just seems too easy. It would be boring to use the Sapling to torment his sister, and have him try to martyr himself."

(-) "There is also the risk that if we used him to torment Star that either of them would involve Sixer."

(+) "You know, I like the Sapling. I want to keep him - not just as a pawn, though of course we'd do that as well, but as some sort of partner. He managed to defeat us - imagine if he joined us willingly. He'd be much more useful than with a shattered dreamscape. We've given him this - if we keep giving to him, keep listening, he won't help but trust us - as long as we seem to give into his plans."

"And he's horny. Really wants to control others. I can't help but think this is terrible. We should never want to keep a meatsack for more than just fun. He is trying to control us, to milk us for knowledge. He is our only key to any other worlds. And he can shut us down. Lock us away until we give him what he wants, until we have to beg him. Because we cannot handle not knowing."

"That would be terrible. And wait. What if other demons got to have their apocalypses? While we are stuck. If they found out that we were beaten by a pair of pre-teens and then got stuck in one - we'd be the laughingstock. And we use others, not let them use us. And also, the kid's brain was moderately interesting, but I'm bored. At least lets screw with him and fuck him, play with his hormones…" Fun peered at them upside down. "I think making Pine Tree ours would be an interesting challenge. Lets do it!"

Well, that was that. It always came down to Fun to decide, and oh hey our Sapling's about to sleep. They reformed into one.

"Evening Pine Tree!" I shouted.

"Hey Bill," he said, playing around with his little light apparitions, "Halloween won't be a problem right? Anyone I need to worry about?" Other than Mabel and my costume…

"Nahh, All Hallow's Eve is a truce night. But if anyone sticks around, then they've been juiced up, and you might be concerned. And besides, I doubt any demons will answer any summons here. They know this is my territory, and they don't know about this…" I gestured around, and played with his illusions. "Come on Sapling, lets have some fun! Relax!"

"I don't know Bill, this is kinda weird."

"What part are you referring to? Also, if you want to enjoy the day, we should probably fuck."

"Whaaaat!" he stammered, blushing furiously… Aww my Sapling is so cute. I turned slightly pink at the thought.

"Dealio kid," I reminded him as I danced with his imaginary illusions, which had turned into various girls and boys in sexy costumes. "You don't want headaches on party night."

"Oh." He blushed more, held his hands behind his back, looked down, and scuffed his feet. "Yeah. Sure. I guess."

I turned into my human form, and with a grand bow and removal of my top hat, I held my hand out for him to accept, and dance with. "Music, Pine Tree?" His face was beet red, but he took my hand, and techno jazz began to play. The dance was awkward, but eventually he got into the swing of things, laughing giddily, spinning in the air. I pulled a black rose from behind my tux and offered it to him with a flourish. "Shall we retire my sweet?"

Dipper smiled softly, accepted the rose, and we drifted down into bed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For realsies though: I had a two part Halloween episode... it should happen on Halloween.


	14. Chapter 14

"What would you like to do Dipper?" I asked quietly, rubbing his back.

He made a soft moan as I relieved some tension in his back. "C… can we start with that? It feels really good."

"Of course." I sat behind him, massaging his shoulders and neck, feeling him relax into me. I leaned down, letting my breath tickle his ear and neck. "Wanna take your shirt off, or should I?"

He blushed, his whole body heating up. Nervously he fidgeted a bit. "I trust you, but take it slow, okay?"

I chuckled while I held him. "I don't think you are ready for anything you've seen on the internet. Tell me if it hurts, and if you need to, just tell me to stop." His breath hitched as I murmured into his ear. Slowly he nodded, and I returned to massaging his back until he relaxed. Moving upwards, I pulled his shoulders back, leaned my head down, and gave his a slow kiss on the cheek. Feeling no resistance, I continued kissing my way down his neck as my arms wrapped around him. I slipped one hand under his shirt, lightly holding him with the other as I leaned down to his neck, breathed very slowly, and turned his face towards me as I kissed him.

Dipper moaned quietly, gently parting his lips. I took that as an invitation and deepened the kiss. Soon enough my tongue was exploring his lips and his own tongue, but then he surprised me by sucking my tongue as far into his mouth as he could. He actually bit a little, but as he held me to his face, gripping my head, I pulled upwards on his shirt. Breaking off the kiss, he blushed a little until his head was free, then plunged down, pushing me to the bed. I started a little, not expecting him to take the lead. In revenge for shoving me, I reached down around him, pulling him close, then quickly squeezed one butt cheek.

"Hey!" he squeaked.

I smirked. "Hey yourself. You seem to have me in a pretty disadvantageous position." I leaned back on the pillows and crossed my hands behind my head. He tensed, realizing that he was straddling me, his pants pushed up against my bulge.

"Well," he mused, not shifting position, "I suppose you are a bit trapped. But something seems a bit unfair. You have all these clothes on. A tuxedo jacket, a button up shirt, and an undershirt - doesn't seem right to me. You'll just have to take them off."

I smirked at him. "Yessir Pine Tree. One shirtless demon coming right up." I slowly, very slowly began removing my coat, teasing him with the removal. He watched very closely, clearly getting impatient. I unbuttoned my cuff links, one at a time, and he huffed.

"No. Bad Bill. Suck." he ordered as he placed his finger to my lips. I gave it a slow kiss, then a quick lick, before I pulled it in. As I suckled his finger, surrounding it with my mouth, I saw him trying to remove my clothes one handed. He got an annoyed look on his face, but then snapped, removing all my clothes at once. At that he smirked, and I widened my eyes in feigned surprise. _I want you to take care of me like I would take care of myself. Make me cum._ Well then, that was a very direct order. I grabbed him in a hug, pulling him down so we lay skin to skin.

He released my finger, so I took that hand and trailed it down his back, his own saliva leaving goosebumps on his skin. This kid sucks at kissing. We were bumping noses and it was a very silly and terribly clumsy sensation, but he was clearly enjoying it. I rested my hand in the small of his back, and he involuntarily whined into my mouth. "Ungh…"

I broke the kiss, and mentioned "You know, I can't reach your zipper from here. All I can reach is…" and I slid my hand under his pants, grabbing the same spot as I had before "this!"

His expression was furiously bright pink as he squeaked, sitting bolt upright in an instant. "Bill" he whined "come on…"

"Fiiine" I drawled, holding tight to one cheek as I disappeared his pants. "That better?"

"Not yet. You have one hand clearly unoccupied." I rolled my eyes, and drifted that hand slowly, slowly, tracing the lines of his muscles down his front, reaching, but not touching his half-staff mast. I looked him seriously in the eyes, waiting for permission before I continued.

He blushed, and gave a small nod. I placed that hand to his mouth, whispering "You don't want it dry." At that he blushed again and sucked each finger, making sure to leave plenty of saliva on them. When I finally touched him, he fell onto me, like all his strings had been cut. I rolled him over, gently rubbing the area around, placing one finger at a time upon him. "Honestly Pine Tree, I know you are curious, but if you wanted this… all you have to do is ask."

"Aaaaahhhh!" he cried into my chest "Bill! Yes… yess." His moans and whimpers as he hardened told me I was doing much better than he normally would, and I plunged my head down, kissing his neck and ear. "Faster… yeah… ah!" Our bodies rocked as one, as I pumped up and down, while he gasped and moaned. "Bill! I… "

"Shhh… Cum for me." I ordered in a whisper right into his ear, and I gave one strong pull as he came. As he gasped for breath, I gently stroked him through the high, until he finished, leaving a nice mess on the bed.

We relaxed, laying among the sheets in his mind. I broke the silence. "Well Pine Tree. I knew you had a dominance kink, but I didn't expect you to start ordering me around the second time. What do you want to do now?" I chuckled, holding him close. He nuzzled tight into my chest, hugging me.

"I want to stay like this all night… but I do kinda need to get ready for Mabe's craziness. I think she wants me to add special effects to both the Shack and all our costumes…" he trailed off, dreading responsibility.

"Hey. Relax. You'll be fine. And what can you practice when you don't even know what you need to do?"

"You sure?" he sounded very unsure, like the child he was.

"I believe in you Pine Tree." I kissed him on the forehead, and we lay there, resting, until he woke.

That was surprisingly fun. I don't think it will be difficult for him to overpower something's mind, not with that sassy attitude.

* * *

 

Bill believed in me. I could do this. Honestly, I can. And screw Grunkle Ford's power must be used responsibly lecture. I mean, he created a mind control tie. I do need to find out what I'll be going as though. And determine whether or not I can actually wear it at school.

Opening the door to Mabel's explosive room, I was pleasantly surprised at the lack of glitter. There were still buckets of it, but fewer than I had expected.  
"Mabel? You… are asleep?" What time is it?

"Huh?" she rubbed her eyes blearily. "Did I miss my alarm? Dipper?"

"Uhh, sorry. I didn't notice what time it was…"

"Bro… Did you stay up all night again?"

"No. No I didn't. I got more than enough sleep. I just didn't mean to wake up this early… or wake you up. Sorry."

"Nope! Dipper! You woke me up so you get to cuddle me and Waddles awake! That is the first alarm. For cuddles. Cuddles." The intensity of her stare as she insisted I cuddle her chilled my spine, but whatever, I could never resist Mabel anyway. I jumped onto her bed and gave her a big hug. Waddles squeaked in shock at the sudden weight on the bed, and soon enough we were all snuggling and tickling a little.

"Eeeep!" I squealed in an incredibly unmanly way when she hit that one spot that always makes me shriek like a little girl. I fell off the bed with a thump, and landed in a pile of costume pieces. At least they appeared to be costume pieces, since they were certainly brightly colored clothes in progress in our sizes, plus Grenda's, and probably Paz and Candy too. "Mabel… are we going as the Avatar crew? Why were you asking about illusions if we were?" _Wait… is that a sky bison costume for Waddles? It is… wow._

"Yep!" she announced, now wide awake. "I'm Katara, you are Sokka, Candy wants to be Zuko, and I know you don't do fire, so I talked to Grunkle Ford, he is making mini flamethrowers. Grenda is Toph, and Paz is gonna be Aang. You can do the levitation ball at the same time as I 'waterbend' right? I figured that since you are really good at waterbending, you make sure Paz doesn't crash into the ground with the glider? I am lending her my Grappling Hook! I figure you probably couldn't do full flight... "

"Why am I Sokka?" I looked at her, exasperated (there was a pin poking my ass) from a pile of partially complete costumes, and the idea that I would have to be maintaining that many spells at once.

"Cause you are the only one who can do magic! It's ironic!"

 _That isn't irony._ "Alright then. I am not destroying the town. Illusions only for earth kay?"

"That's fine. Grenda figured that would be the case anyway. Oh and I checked, we have some rowan wood - not fresh, so we can't do wreaths, but some branches and a large enough bough to turn into charms. This Halloween is gonna be great! Wendy asked me to come and help with the decorations, can you believe it? Oh man Dipper thank you. Wait…" she paused, finally thinking things through, "why did you wake me up? You don't have a headache… Did you sleep with him?!!!"

I blushed, and ran from the room. _Crap._


	15. Puelli Magi Pacifica Magica

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am more than happy to explain any questions about how crossovers work in this fic. (I had to make it match the very limited and random info gleaned from Rick and Morty.)
> 
> Thank you all for 100 kudos!
> 
> Should Pacifica make a contract? And what would her wish be? ;P

Pacifica strolled down the high school hallway, followed by her comets, hanging off her popularity, sucking up to her just because she was a Northwest. She had tried, so hard, to be kinder to people, it was just so easy to dismiss them when they had nothing of value - just petty desires. None of them knew it took an hour every morning to do her makeup, because she could never not look her best. It just wouldn't do. It is so much easier with the twins here, nobody could resist Mabel's infectious cheer, and Dipper… Well, talking to him was hard. She couldn't do it this year. This year the Ball was invite only, although for some reason the mannish girl… Grenda - was there. Pacifica was just glad Dipper hadn't ever asked, though it seemed his scars from last year were sharp and fresh, like stays in her corset that prick whenever her posture wouldn't meet standards.

Lately though, it was even harder to talk to him than before. He retreated into a shell, reading at lunch, pleading headaches, or writing in some cipher in his Journal (It looked kinda Cyrillic, like Greek letters). Weren't the point of the journals to share discoveries? Once she followed him out into the woods, and after a hike that her parents were sure to lecture her about, he ducked behind a tree and she lost him. But she heard him moving furniture. Why was he moving furniture? She looked, but couldn't find where he went, but she could hear him doing inventory of clearly supernatural items. Was he building his own bunker? (She had heard that story). Even on Halloween, she couldn't cross that invisible line - to try to speak to him, when he was having so much fun.

So when the creature appeared before her inside her dressing room while she adjusted her makeup, she just looked on in shock.

The creature was clearly magical, it had golden rings surrounding its long ears that floated in place. It looked a bit like a cross between a cat and a fox, except that it had really long ears and was white with a red circle on its back.

Well, at least she knew what to do in these situations. A magical being appearing in front of her, not attacking her, meant that she must be on her best behavior. "Good afternoon. May I ask why you have come here?"

It tilted its head quizzically, but its eyes were blank, unreadable, points of darkness. "My apologies Miss Pacifica, my name is Gobey. I have come to ask for your aid. There are dangers in this town that you would not know of, and I believe you can help me."

Now this was odd. "Gobey, is this some supernatural threat? We are used to these things here, and I am certainly not the best equipped for helping you. If you explain the danger, I can pass it along to experts much better suited for monster hunting." she gestured down at her perfectly manicured hands, her lush dressing room, and the lack of weapons in said room.

"Pacifica. You have the potential to help. I can grant you the ability to protect this town and those you love, as well as one wish. But you would need to defend the town from its wraiths."

"I am very sorry Gobey, but I don't know why you are asking me. You should ask Dipper Pines, or his Great Uncle. They live in the Mystery Shack on the edge of town, and I can call them and tell them about this danger." Besides, this sounded too good to be true. Nobody just offers free wishes and power - not without strings attached. Nobody in this town would be stupid enough to believe this creature right? Cipher looked innocent, and had granted her families wishes for generations, only then to try to destroy the world. She reached over to her phone, getting ready to text Dipper via the app.

It interrupted her as she looked at her phone. "Pacifica. I need your help. You are the only one in town with the potential to see me, to hear me. The last protector of this town died last night, and there aren't enough girls with the potential to become magical girls in the area to spare anyone. These wraiths are everywhere. It is dangerous, and you will have to fight for the rest of your life, but that is why if you make a contract with me, you get one wish."

Oh hell no. A Contract. With some supernatural creature? She typed furiously, letting Dipper know there was a creature here offering contracts for power. She informed him she would be right over. Pacifica stood up, having made her decision. "Gobey, can I take some time to think of my wish? This is a very serious decision to make. I need to talk to my friends. The supernatural is natural here, they will believe me." (I hope.)

It looked at her with that impassionate stare. "That is fair. But the longer you wait, the more innocents could die to the wraiths."

She hurried down, calling the driver to drive her to the Shack, informing him curtly that she had seen a creature to report, and was going to speak to Dipper about it. Am I being paranoid? No that looked just like its sillouhette. She burst into the gift shop, and seeing Dipper she gasped in relief.

"Dipper! It calls itself Gobey. It told me there are these wraiths, and that the previous magical girl had died… and it is trying to get me to make a contract - quickly."

Pacifica looked terrified, the way she kept glancing over her shoulder, like it was following her. "You said it didn't want you to talk to me - that I wouldn't be able to see it. Right?" _Bill? Do you know what this is? It doesn't sound like anything in the journals…_ "Hey Soos! Could you cover my shift? Pacifica found a new cryptid!"

Soos rushed into the room, half a sandwich in his hand. "Yessir Sir Dippingsauce! Let me know if you need my help!"

"Thanks dude, you are the best!" Dipper replied.

There it was again, how happy he seemed, how she could suddenly barely speak with fear. But no, she had to do this. Another demon, not yet. How could there be so many? There was no way it was helpful. By now Dipper had led her upstairs into the attic.

"Okay Pacifica, can you describe it as best you can, and possibly draw it, while telling me what it told you. And let me know if it shows up in here - this room is heavily warded."

Pacifica related the events of earlier that day as best she could, but when she looked to Dipper's side with a perfectly schooled expression, he knew it was there. "Ah Gobey, Pacifica was telling me about the wraiths you mentioned. Do you think you could explain better?" _It shouldn't be able to read my journal, not in cipher._

Pacifica looked over at the empty space to my right, and after a few moments, responded. "It says this is something you cannot handle, something only magical girls can deal with. And I had already asked earlier if there were any other ones, it said they were busy with their own territories."

 _Fuck. I bet I'll be able to see it in the mindscape… It wants her to wish… why?_ "Pacifica, do you trust me? Its very important."

She fidgeted nervously, crossing her hands over and over, then blushed. "Yeah." She wouldn't meet my eyes.

"Alright. Paz, I'm gonna take you into the Mindscape." her expression turned to shock, betrayal. _She'll feel worse in a moment. I really don't want to do this, but I don't know what else to do. Help me please_. I took her hands, and helped her to meditate, once she was calm, pulling her in.

* * *

 

"Hey there Llama!" I shouted in her face, laughing as she backed up as fast as possible, running into Pine Tree's bed. "And hello to you too, little Incubator. Gobey… you made a big mistake coming here. I never left. And. **I . DO. NOT. APPRECIATE. COMPETITORS.** So tell me why I shouldn't kill you repeatedly here."

Pine Tree was looking slightly horrified at me and at Llama, and curiously at Gobey. I must have gotten very large and red again. Calm down Bill. Pine Tree just revealed you to Pacifica. When it was only Star…

"Pacifica," I bowed in her direction "I am sorry for the scare. I did not mean to intimidate you. Shall we start over? Bill Cipher, yes its me, and no I am not dead. Oh and Incubator… don't think you can run from me in here...Welcome to Pine Tree's head."

Llama gaped at Pine Tree, who had hurried over to her, squeezing her hand, telling her it would be fine, don't worry, he is stuck. He turned and looked at me _I didn't know what to do? Please don't scare her?_ "Bill," he stated in a commanding voice, "do you think you could deal with the creature? I need to talk to Pacifica here."

I rolled my eye mockingly, "Why should I Pine Tree, you just brought me someone else to play with…? Unless you want to offer something…?"

"Fuck off Bill. We will talk about this later. You have someone trying to take your shtick."

"Well, technically, it's really both our shticks, except that these moronic Incubators only target emotionally troubled young girls… usually middle schoolers. So Llama, have something you want to tell Pine Tree? Ta ta!" and I floated off to let out my aggression on some aliens. Gotta tease the kid.

Oh man this feels great! An actual challenge! It can shadow teleport, and I can't see, but it is completely lost and I know every inch of the place. "Ohhh Gobey!!! Come out come out wherever you are! Maybe if you do the kid will take mercy on ya! Since he doesn't know what you've done… Or we do it the fun way. No response? Fun way it is!" I whooped in joy, finally able to vent my frustrations and do some good old fashioned torture. Or maybe it'll try to make a deal with me or Pine Tree.

We played cat and mouse for hours, me every once in a while blasting a hole through it, it every once in a while crying out to Llama in pain. I made it last a long long time. Just need to oh, turn its insides out a thousand times. Screw those manipulators using the chaos of emotion to further the halt of chaos. Hypocrites the lot of them!

And Pine Tree has a lot to answer for… We'll see if this is my last day of freedom, or if maybe my Sapling needs me enough…

What lengths will he go to to protect me?

* * *

 

This was truly awkward. As Bill made his grand debut, at least we came fully into my head. I placed us near the memory palace, so it could be seen over the trees, but in a comfortable clearing. She stared in shock, internally freaking out, so I positioned myself across the clearing from her, waiting for her to say something? Chase Bill? Try to kill me?

Finally she shook her head, glared at me, and asked in her iciest tone "What on Earth is this? Was that Bill, or are you just that fucked up in the head that he is your imaginary friend?"

Ouch. "Uh… well… it… it's complicated?" I stammered by way of explanation.

"Make it uncomplicated."

Yes maam. "W well, this is my dreamscape… the inside of my b brain. Everybody has one, and in it are all our memories, and knowledge, and it represents our psyche. They are all in greyscale, except for things you conjure. My memories are over there," and I pointed at the memory palace, "my dream stage is over in that direction, and yeah… it's mostly an endless forest. But you can do anything here, anything at all, only limited by your imagination… Oh and we are both asleep right now."

"Cipher is kinda the master of the mindscape, but since we defeated him he kinda lost nearly all his power and is completely stuck in here. Don't make any deals though… he… he can still do that…" I trailed off, looking shamefully at my feet. "I never wanted him here. At first, at first I thought I was just having more nightmares since I was back… but, they never went away - and I got full night's sleep. The explosion a while ago… where I missed school for a week… thats when I realized it was real… That's when I started fucking up." I couldn't meet her eyes, she had to hate me.

"He's the cause of the headaches?" I nodded. "And how much ridiculous stuff you know?" I nodded again.

"He's trying to manipulate me, to use me. But I can't let them wipe my memories! He said he is only staying here because I amuse him and he likes me… He keeps giving me stuff… The headaches are a side effect of the rapid learning, and… and… "at this point I had started crying "...it's wonderful. I'm sure he is plotting something, but I get to pick what I learn about… and maybe Ford will respect that I am actually capable, even if I have to trap Bill here for the rest of my life, even if I can never become boring enough for him to slip off somewhere else and manipulate them. So… uhh… yeah? We can be somewhere more comfortable if you want... "

There was a very significant pause, and I peered up at her. Pacifica sat there, and only then did Dipper realize how cute she looked. He blushed, and asked "Do you think… that I'm I'm not bad? Maybe I could delay his return… he can never truly die…"

Pacifica sat there, clearly thinking these revelations over. Dipper resisted the urge to pace, so instead played with Grunkle Ford's What - The - Heck -ahedron. When she finally responded, he was more nervous than ever, but shocked at her response.

"Dipper, I suppose I should be mad, that you've made a deal with Cipher… but, you are more confident now. You straight up ordered Bill Cipher to give us space… and… I know why Gobey wants me to make a contract, and become a magical girl. I don't know if there really are wraiths here, and if so why have we never seen this magical girl - why didn't she help last year, but I understand. This supernatural beast claims that there are magical girls elsewhere, that the wraiths attack humans, it specifically mentioned Portland, and that this area would be territory. Like I'd become some warlord… but I get it. It's really tempting - and if it can grant any wish… I think I know what I would wish."

"This year I couldn't do it. I couldn't open the gates for the party, I didn't fight back, I didn't have the strength in me. So yeah!" she jumped up, kicked a tree for good measure, and yelled "If I got that, that infinite power… If I could do anything I wanted - I'd probably become a murderer… So Dipper, that you haven't, that the only thing you are using Cipher for is knowledge… that's impressive. Hell, if you were willing to be his vessel, or make him a body - you could make him do anything…"

At that point we were interrupted by Bill's obnoxious voice. "Oh Pine Tree, Llama! I caught your misbehaving alien - don't worry, it can still talk - I know you'll be putting it in your journal." He managed to saunter while floating, pulling along an orb that every few seconds crackled with electricity, shocking the bloody, torn up body shoved inside. It quivered in fear. "Why are you two still talking here! Pine Tree, you have to be a better host than this, its messing up her clothes. You really should get an actual parlor in here, maybe a dining room, or a game room… I get bored while you are at school."

I half jokingly glared at Bill. "Seriously? And how would you play the games? And no I am not taking any of your D,D, and more D suggestions. Paz, do you want me to just take us there, or would you like to fly over?"

"You can fly in here?"

"You can do anything in here. Mabel turned her hands into pink kitty cannons when we fought this dickwad in Grunkle Stan's head. Also, Paz, I don't think you watch anime, but magical girls is a genre, and they are pretty OP. Sexy transformation sequences, really powerful, like having superpowers. Ask Soos..." she was trying to flap her arms to fly… it was really funny, and I had a hard time not laughing. "How about wings?" and I conjured grey angel wings on her, "or, you could just float… it's generally simpler." I was pulling her along a bit, but Bill was being unusually quiet. _Crap! He was probably listening to our conversation!_ We landed in front of my cabin/cave, and walked right into the living room, which inspired by Mabel, had tons of beanbags everywhere, and a giant TV on the wall. "It can be easy to get lost in someone's thoughts, so I definitely would rather you not explore my memories…"

We all sat (or floated in a sitting position over a beanbag) in a circle around Gobey. As soon as it stopped being electrocuted, it began crying. "Pacifica! Please! This is your paranormal expert?! We thought Cipher was gone! He's killed me 27 times already… and honestly there haven't been magical girls in Gravity Falls, no matter how much potential everyone here has, in twenty years. I didn't realize yours was so high because of this! Look, when a girl makes a contract, its like an investment. We give you immortality, super strength, and your wish. Then you help us fight entropy, by defeating the wraiths… we use their grief cubes as a power source." It was babbling, with an unchanging expression, but its tail was wagging really fast.

"What is the cost?" Pacifica icily asked.

"The high danger, and fact that nobody would believe you. You'd have to balance your responsibilities with your normal life."

Bill interjected lazily, filing his nails and looking for all the world like the most annoying triangle to lounge ever. "You forgot to mention the soul."

That left me and Pacifica staring in shock, but then she burst out laughing. "Haha ha ha of course! No wonder! The price of all that - just one soul!"

"Souls given freely are very, very, powerful. They are cheating you if you only get that much… Though teenage girls make very easy marks, don't they? But really Incubator, you all messed up big time, well will mess up. You used to gain much more power per girl, and go through them at a much faster rate. It's a shame that you can just appear in front of your marks. Pine Tree, I would be willing to tell you and Pacifica "he very carefully said her name "what they used to do - but we'd have to completely destroy this one first, and Pine Tree - you aint got the power to do that. And if she wakes up, this thing goes with her."

"Fuck."

Me and Paz waited, looking over at each other, when I exclaimed "Oh shit! Mabe's probably seen us! We gotta wake up, we cannot let her have that blackmail on us! So… we just let it go?"

"That's about all you can do Pine Tree, unless…"

"No." I flat out refused. "And just so we are clear, you will NOT make any deals while inside my mindscape with anyone but me."

I woke both me and Pacifica up, both of us blushing furiosly when we discovered she had fallen asleep on top of me. I, well. Had a sudden boner. Crap. We burst apart to seperate sections of the room. I checked my watch. "Well Pacifica, you shouldn't get in too much trouble - it's only 7 pm…" I winced as I told her. Her face turned white with shock. Oh crap she will be in tons of trouble… and Mabel definitely got pictures.

"Oh and Paz... " I stammered, "I would really like it if you didn't sell your soul, though God knows I know how tempting it is… And could you not tell people about the Bill thing?"

She nodded, hurrying out the door, and hopefully getting home before her parents called like a SWAT team out here to find her. Fucking Northwests.


	16. Home

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short recap-ish episode. Let me know what you think of Dipper's dream. I am always super excited to get comments.
> 
> *smile*

Humans are weird. And stupid. How they manage to actually sort of coexist and make new things without a genocide every few years must just be destiny giving them a break. Though it took 7000 years of 'civilization' for them to make it this far. It's probably that nasty habit of us versus them thinking - leading to near or complete extinctions of all the other sentients on this planet. Then again, meddling with them can be so useful. It's the reason why the Incubators are here, all that juicy emotional mess from children. Elders of the tribe actually have a clue… so use them, building and creating, taking raw potential, and molding it into useful products.

Anyway.

At least this isn't Fez's Mindscape.

Sapling keeps trying to martyr himself. He still doesn't get that I wouldn't invest so much into him if I was going to let him die uselessly. His solution to the Incubator presence: posters at the middle and elementary school. It works for now, everyone here is still traumatized from last year. But, it won't do forever.

Now he just tries to sleep away the pain. The self inflicted paranoia about my motives. At least its isolationary. But Pine Tree honestly hasn't noticed yet the inserted 'days' I made him. And his reservations are crumbling. He can only have so many 'thoughts' of fucking the town into the ground, destroying it bit by bit as they praise and fear him, before he really begins to believe it, to think it himself. His Mindscape is shifting, changing. Right now he is really horny, but resists so futilely. Whenever he gives up and jerks off in the shower that night is just fine. Its the education he really wants.

Just not from me.

And that won't do.

He still hasn't figured out the big loophole. Too shy, too awkward my little Sapling is, to take. If he just made out with Llama, and they had sex, it wouldn't prevent him from learning all the secrets he wants.

But he is too shy. Afraid of me seeing his deepest desires? Whenever he tries to hide, it is just so hard not to laugh myself to pieces - but it would be counterproductive. He has to rely on me. And he is, but damn… I really want something to do. So god damned bored.

Maybe tonight he'll be a sacrifice. He doesn't remember what I don't want him to… and I have to be patient, subtle, or he will freak and Shooting Star will ruin everything. It was good he got to revel in his powers, enjoy Samhain, spend time with friends, show off at the party.

We need to find out from Sixer why there has been no dimensional or universal leakages, or any multiverse traffic at all. Nothing awoken, no ghosts slipping through the barriers at all.

Crap.

Sixer must have modified the portal, locked all interference. Probably after last summer. This could be explosive, and not in my or anybody's favor.

If every spirit which wanted to visit could not pass through…

That in itself… probably enough to blow up the shack. Pine Tree stopped sixteen summonings so far. How many more were attempted that failed? I am almost certain he stopped the most dangerous. But simple transmissions? Even from Sixer's friends or enemies? Each use of the time tape by a non - expert (most of the time police) releases excess energies based off the time transported - any attempt to use would either result in an explosion, destroying the tape, or worse, nothing would happen, and all that temporal energy would add to the the building energy.

Now he almost certainly built it around around the rift, using the portal as a locking mechanism, but the rift wasn't even sealed, just inverted after.

We need to get into the basement.

Or get the Incubator to fix it.

Ahhhh, bedtime… Sleep well Pine Tree.

________

I(?) melted, surrounded by (black?) chaos.  
Above(?), color, swirling. Firmament shifting, bleeding(?), dying.   
Around. Me? Others? A mix? Soup? (Stew?) Nothing. Blank emptiness. Mirror dark glass walls going to infinity.  
Below -

?  
(what is below?)

Spaghetti. (me?)(others?) A knot, dripping into each other. We?

It is warm. Safe, as I dissolve. Dissolve into the primordial ooze. Safe. Warm.

 

Nothing changes, but the above. Rocks float above, as chariots for (people? demons?) beings. Worlds slip in and out of view.

But no pain. (Why would there be pain? Why would I be afraid?) There is nothing to fear.

… a buzzing

A harmony

A (stick? Fork? Cotton candy machine thingy?) dipped into, swirled us

One tried to grasp, cling, hold a shape, a (tentacle?) cord

It lifted. No! Cold! Bad!

(i don't want to leave)

I? What is I? Who? I is who?

...a hand. That's it. It wants. It pulls.

(why must i go?) Safe. Warm.

Cold, alone. No bueno. Nai!!!

I failed. It? The hand, won. Dragged me out. Spun me. Forced me to form. To un dissolve. And it squeezed.

(has this happened before?)

"Wake Up!"

"Pine Tree!"

"Huh? Wut?" I startled, looking around frantically. _Oh it's Bill fucking Cipher._ "What do you want?"

He smacked me on the head with his cane, put his hands on his sides, and rolled his eye. "Pine Tree, that is not polite. You were having a nightmare," He brought his hands together dramatically in a mockery of prayer. "Shouldn't you be grateful and say thank you? I don't want you to stay in that muck. It is a terrible metaphor anyway. Although… where did you come up with that imagery from?"

I scratched my head, thinking. I am of course, still asleep. Wincing, I apologized to Bill, "You're right. I'm sorry for freaking out. I don't really know where that imagery came from, that is more your area of expertise, dream demon." Though, I had to sass him because he did actually do pretty much what terrified me in the dream.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah." He rolled his eye. "Pine Tree, I do know exactly where that is. I wanted to know if you did. I've got some bad news for you Sapling." He poofed us to the beanbag room, and settled me in front of him, so I could lean against his bricks. They were always so warm. "That looked like the Courts of Chaos, a very powerful and significant universe with an almost infinite number of lower order universes below it. I've been there, most of the mes have, at some point or another. But you shouldn't know what it looks like. I did not show you that." He floated in front of me, crossed his arms, and continued. "That place makes mortals go insane. In order to survive you must be at least as powerful as a lesser demon, and that is just visiting. Dreaming that you are in the void, and a Lady is pulling you out, trying to give you form… Bad news. And you created that dream yourself, which means you are subconsciously finding my memories."

At my shocked appearance, and the fact that I am yeah, freaking out a bit, he gave me a hug. "Pine Tree. I don't want you to go insane. At least, not in the gibbering madman sort of way. You could be so much more than you are. You may not like it, but we have to live together. You would try to stop me from leaving anyway, but Pine Tree, you cannot handle things like this. You need a release. And fuck, if you are unknowingly finding my memories, you need much better mental control. You need to learn to navigate Mindscapes."

I however, was still shocked over the concept that I had seen one of Cipher's memories, and that there were multiple Ciphers, and that universes had different orders. _What does it mean to be a higher order universe? Are there other versions of me and Mabel? Did Grunkle Ford ever meet versions of us?_

"Whoa there Pine Tree," Bill smirked (even if he doesn't have a mouth he was smirking). He was reading my mind again… he probably cannot help but hear it… or realistically see how curious I got. "You just had a serious nightmare. And those are some pretty world shattering questions. You might want to ask Sixer, much as it pains me to say it, not that he knows better than me or anything, but if you want me to stay a secret from him, you cannot already know information about the multiverse that you don't have access to.

With the magic, you've purchased and found various spell and lore books, you go to the library constantly. He has seen you use magic before this year, and of course you would continue to study it. But you would first go for information about the multiverse from an actual inter-universal traveler. You would research the basics, but when you and him get excited, you two tend to as your sister points out 'nerd out'. And you would let slip that you know more than you should."

"Oh…" I looked down, defeated. "That information would probably be under his 'Too dangerous' category wouldn't it."

"Yep." Bill popped the p. "Maybe he'll tell you though, you have to try. And I promise I'll answer your questions about it afterward. Now, you should actually pretend to pay attention in class, that or talk to someone. Shooting Star would say "You look spaced out all the time bro-bro." Bill finished in the creepiest manner possible, by using my sister's voice.

"Fiiiinnnne." I drawled in my most aggravated teenager voice as I rolled my eyes. "I'll talk to someone. Stop momming me, Cipher."


	17. Time to say Goodbye

"Relax Pine Tree. You don't need to worry about what your parents will say. You don't even have to tell them anything. This is just a vacation away from the snow."

My sapling sat curled up in his bed, not asleep, but awake and in the shared mindscape. He gazed off into the middle distance, staring at nothing.

"We won't do any lessons while you are there, that way they won't try to medicate you. You only have to pretend for a couple of weeks."

"Mabel hasn't been talking to me much. She is too busy dating that Lucas. And they won't be mad at her for dating. Even if its only been a couple of weeks." _What hurts is that he really is good to her… much better than I have. I've been so wrapped up in all this that I barely even noticed._ "I have no clue what to do, Bill." _It terrifies me._

I sat behind him, pulling him into a hug. This human form was much better for these things. He needs comfort, safety, control. "You are afraid the only way you can have some measure of surety is by ruining everything. Maybe you should play one of those world empire simulator games. Those are amusing." I really am not good at comforting. He instinctively leaned back, relaxing a bit in my grasp. He needs to dazzle, to overpower, to conquer, to obliterate, and to be seen. He needs appreciation. Even all that I have been showing him hasn't helped, since he beats himself up over everything he misses during the settling aches.

Maybe he should screw some bitch. We could wipe their memories, or make them fuzzy. I don't believe Shooting Star ever returned Love God's potions… No. I won't let anyone touch my sapling. He is mine. Even after I regain my powers, I will always take care of him. I'll never let him out of my sight. Maybe he has been too isolated. "Would you like to cut down on the lessons? Just do them whenever you feel like you want to?" I was worried about him. Piedmont won't be good for him.

"Maybe for now. I can work on practical skills more. And in the spring there are ingredients to collect. And you know, maybe my parents will finally be proud of me for my schooling. Though god, that is nothing now." _Maybe I should just disappear. Would anybody notice?_

"Dipper, everyone here would notice. Everyone has their eyes on you, they want to use you. If I could see them… no. Don't try to do that. Even if you could restore my Sight, you know how your sister would feel. Look, just pack your stuff up, you can do all that transcribing you need to do over the vacation. Write everything down in your journals, and I swear that nobody else knows the ciphers. Your private thoughts will be as ineffable as the Voynich."

He chuckled a bit at that considering the Voynich manuscript was essentially the same as his or Sixer's journals. Sensing his tension fading, I let him go, and he quickly packed. Including the special sweaters Star made him. He loves her so much, even now he considers her opinions. Love has always been one of the most confusing human emotions. Lust makes sense - its a biological imperative, but love? I suppose its related to how females of this species need a mate for much longer than males do, in order to handle children, but if that is the only reason, then why do most animals feel it? Ah, Sapling finished. No no Sapling, don't take a nap now.

"Ughhhh Pine Tree, why is it so damn hard to keep you sane? You really want to give up. I've been trying to keep your wishes in mind - to not break you." I stabbed him in the chest with my cane as punctuation. And yet, he barely responded. Fuck. I cannot believe I am about to say this.

I forced him to look me right in the eye. "Pine Tree. Listen to me. If you give up on life, I will take your body. If you build your own prison in here, you will not be able to restrain me. Right now I am the one trapped, and you think I don't know how to get out? You are the warden. Do your fucking job. Now get up and live."

Before he had a chance to respond I woke him up. Well not really, he hadn't fully fallen asleep, and I just locked off sleep. But he can't tell the difference - not with his eyes closed. Why the fuck did I do that? I shoulda just broke him then taken his flesh suit. Even when his family catches me - I'll just shove him back in. He'd probably start attempting to kill them. I could shift his actions when he thinks he is in control. Or he would try to kill himself. Why do I care so much?

Fuck.

I want him to choose me freely, without compulsion.

I want him to love me.

Yeah he gets insomnia for a while.

* * *

 

Dipper slumped in the back seat of the Stan-Mobile, sticking earbuds in as soon as he sat down. He set the music to shuffle and waited for Mabel (It was always Mabel) to grab whatever it was she forgot. His Grunkles sat in the front, and Grunkle Stan revved the engine, pretending to leave. Mabel burst out the door with Waddles, then shut and locked the door behind her.

"Do we really need to bring him?" Grunkle Stan groused.

"Of course we do!" Mabel cried indignantly "He can't just stay by himself for two weeks"

Once Waddles was firmly ensconced in the back seat, and Mabel had her knitting out, they began the long trip down to Piedmont. Dipper felt a great reluctance to leave, and suddenly, he was there in his mindscape - alone, still listening to his music, escaping the world. He sighed in relaxation, letting the world pass him by. _I will not say thank you._

"Star!" Bipper hissed quietly, removing the earbuds.

"Huh? What's up? Did you forget something?" Her face paled when she saw her brother's eyes, namely that they were golden with narrow slits. Before she could shout, Bipper shushed her.

"Look, Star. Your brother is in trouble. He's given up. He wants to be gone." He held his finger over her mouth for a beat, then released it. He nodded slightly at Mabel's widened expression. "You've noticed he barely ever talks to anybody. I won't let him sleep this vacation away. Look, I'm seriously trusting you not to tell them," he shrugged and glanced towards the front of the car, "but this is important. Make him happy. Make him feel included. He is lost and confused. Look, will you help me?"

Mabel listened in stunned silence. Bill Cipher could take over Dipper's body, whenever he wanted - this was terrible. But Bill was asking for help, and it was for her bro-bro, who did avoid really any social situation not related to solving mysteries. He would hole up in his room day after day complaining of headaches, never joining in for Ducktective or any sort of just hanging out. And he would head into the forest by himself each weekend… so eventually she nodded slightly.

"I can teach you a spell that will wake him up, make him more alert, more genkii. At least for the holidays, so your family can enjoy your silly festival of lights together. He actually hasn't even noticed I've taken his body, he is still just listening to music. Look Star," and Bipper actually looked pleading "I don't know what to do. I know that this is something teenagers go through, but I also know how easy it is to hide it away, and how many kids do something really dangerous to feel emotions. I won't lie. I've enabled kids like him to do some pretty crazy shit, but when they fell apart, it wasn't my problem. The deal was finished. If they offed themselves before completing the deal, well I took their souls." He shrugged as Mabel looked on in horror.

"Okay, okay." he whispered "But I want you to know this is serious. I honestly want your brother to remain sane. Yes, yes, I'm a terrible demon who screws everyone over… that's why I need your help. I don't fix people's heads. You do." Bipper looked resigned, frustrated, so after a while of thinking, Mabel leaned over and whispered to her brother, not noticing that he had replaced his earbuds.

"The spell won't hurt him right? If so, I guess yes…"

Her brother turned to her, eyes slightly glazed, but at her words his brain started racing. Mabel knew that expression. The expression of a secret to uncover, a mystery to solve. It quickly turned into an expression of betrayal and hurt, and all Mabel wanted to do was give her brother a hug. She started over, moving Waddles out of the way, but before she could touch him, her brother whispered in a chilling tone.

"What. Is this about?" Dipper's eyes pierced into her soul, and she could see the devastation on his face. Anxiously thinking of something to say, when she saw Dipper's eyes start to turn yellow, she unconsciously relaxed.

"Shit."

"Yep." Bipper replied. "Well at least he isn't apathetic right now… What was it you said to him?"

She knitted furiously, trying not to glance at the demon who lived in her brother, who wanted her brother safe, who caused her brother so much pain and headaches. "I asked for the spell."

Bipper leaned over and whispered into her ear. "Mentula inspiro. It will get his attention."

Quietly she spoke the latin, casting the spell at her brother… Bill. "Did it work?"

"Good job. It did. Try not to cast that in anger. Oh and your brother is a bit pissed at us both. Tata!" Bipper leaned back into the chair, closed his eyes, and Mabel began furiously knitting, avoiding looking at her brother.

It failed though, when Dipper nearly shouted "What the fuck Mabel? You think I didn't notice that? And I thought I could trust you, but nooo… even my sister is whispering things about me." _What the hell happened? I zoned out, but then she asks me about a spell?_

She jumped in her seat, Waddles placing himself between them as a knight would defend his lady. Grunkle Ford turned around, pointedly looking at both of them. "What is going on?"

Mabel replied, lying, not meeting anyone's eyes. "Nothing Grunkle Ford. I just accidentaly knocked his earbuds out when Waddles sat on his phone"

Great Uncle Ford examined her, then turned his gaze on Dipper. He raised one eyebrow, waiting for a response. Dipper stammered "Uhhh, y yeah… t that's what happened. I just snapped cause I'm stressed. Yeah. I'm sorry Mabes." Dipper kept one eye on Ford, hoping he would buy the lie. Ford gazed at the two of them inscrutably, then sighed.

"Dipper. Do not let me ever hear you swear like that at anyone, much less your sister. Give me your phone, headphones too. You can have them back when we get to your parents house."

Dipper reluctantly handed them over, wishing he could just escape this whole thing. The punishment was fair, so Dipper shot a glare at his sister, then leaned back and stared out the window. Hopefully he would fall asleep on the drive, but he felt uncomfortable, and Bill probably wouldn't let him sleep. _Fuck all this. You too Bill. Fuck you and your making me do this. I swear if you mess around with me while I'm there I'll… I'll lock you up and destroy your form repeatedly. And stop laughing! I know you find my agony immensely funny..._

* * *

 

Okay, so maybe my parents aren't horrible people, they just are a weird mix of conservative and liberal. They did not believe our stories from last year, but when Grunkle Ford showed up, and explained a lot of it as us exaggerating stories of the kind Grunkle Stan would tell to tourists, and being overly - enthusiastic about my scientific experiments that mollified them, though I suspect it was mostly Grunkle Stan's rogueish charisma also exaggerating things, that they thought we just picked it up from him and we were indulging our imagination. To explain why I (and Mabel a bit too) suddenly were much more anxious about triangles, and had nightmares, well, we made up an embarrassing story about how I kept seeing ghosts through the weird window in the attic.

The holiday celebrations were fairly standard, (except the new latkas recipe was amazing - need to get Grunkle Stan to learn to cook more) though Mom and Dad wanted to know everything about how life was going with us. I told them how I had been studying ahead, hoping to take the AP tests after I skipped classes, that way the school could use my AP scores in place of a grade, and I would be able to skip some of my general education requirements when I entered college. Yes, I was'nt in any extra-curricular activities, and they told me that colleges really like community service. (Aka - get the police to say I've done community service like paperwork or something, That or officially become a park ranger like Wendy did.) They had to be all negative, as though I wasn't doing well… especially when it came to friendships. They assumed that I just piggy - backed off Mabel's friends.

They were very happy for Mabel, and her expansion into jewelry making, they even seemed warily positive of her boyfriend - at least I didn't have to be there for that conversation. But the problem was - it just - everything felt like a black hole, sapping all the energy out of me. _And I swear everyone has been tiptoeing around me, whispering about how tired I always am, how little I care about the presents_ \- its just, everything is bland. Even my mindscape is washed out - Bill just holding me, helping me plan, practice magic.

"Bill, what are you doing? You are acting like a dork. Just because it is Christmas night you don't have to decorate every single tree in here! It's ridiculous!"

"It is one of your human traditions to have Pine Trees decorated in highly dangerous manners. I mean each one of these is an invitation to electrical combustion, and you all let children decorate these! Its great! And for the best Pine Tree of all… extra spectacle!" I squeezed my eyes shut suddenly as I was suddenly covered in more decorations than even Mabel could fit on a full sized tree.

"Bill! Argh!" I disappeared the decorations with a shake, and thankfully he only reapplied some… I'll take what I can get I suppose… "I was going to give you a present, but it seems like you just want to decorate…"

Bill spun around instantly, eye wide and giant. "A present? For me? Are we doing that trading of gifts thing that is an implicit deal?"

I shook my head. "No Bill, I just figured that you get incredibly bored in here, lacking all sensation, so sometimes we could talk without me falling asleep. Earlier you said you could take over my body, and I don't doubt it, so sometimes maybe when nobody is paying attention and I am in class you could use my hand to write out notes? Though its probably a stupid idea, and I really shouldn't be letting you use my body to feel - and then again is a partial possesion even a thing? And wouldn't my eyes turn all golden? And yeah this was a terrible idea." Looking up, I noticed that Bill had turned a bright pink color, holding his hands to his eye, almost about to cry.

He dashed forward, grabbing me and spinning me in circles "Omigosh Omigosh that is perfect. Pine Tree. You would let me sense again?" He sqeezed me to his eye, and gave me a giant kiss (oh he transformed mid squeal…) "Nobody has ever given me a present before! Its always offerings or pleadings or bribes, never just a gift! Omigosh Pine Tree you are the best ever I love you soo much!"

 _Uhh. What._ I settled myself, actually realizing that Bill liked the idea. _Whoa._ He peppered me with kisses, and yeah… _I think I might be in shock._

"Umm. What about all the concerns?"

He brushed them off "Eh we'll figure it out. It's… it lets me be free. Just a little, but really, thank you. "

Well, I stood there a bit uncomfortably. He sounds so happy - but I'm giving Cipher more access to affect the world. I sat down, sighed, and watched as Bill danced and spun around. He really must have been going crazy… He said he loved me. How could he love the main thing keeping him from being himself? Does he have Stockholm syndrome? Do I? Damn. At least if Bill screws up Grunkle Ford'll kill me. _It's not like I am doing a good job as a jailor._ I mean, it really feels like reality is an illusion - we all just make these stories up about our world. _Ok, I should really stop learning the truth about history from Bill - it hurts too much to think we are insignificant, that any one individual is pretty much replaceable._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Latin Translation: Blow/excite penis
> 
> Yes Bill taught Mabel a spell to give boners.


	18. A Man's Gotta Do

"Pine Tree, we have been bored. We should do something fun. Talking in class is nice, but you need a puzzle to solve. Don't look at me like that… It's not my fault if you just ask for the answers. There has to be real stakes, sooo, why not solve a problem, gain some allies, and work on your magic all at once!"

I sighed, eyeing Bill. He is just as bored with high school as I am, though figuring out how to hide the Bipper eye and set up a communication system was pretty cool, and it still freaks people out when my eyes drain away all color, leaving only empty, black orbs. Mabel wanted to give me makeup that goes with it, but that idea got soundly nixed.

"What do you propose Bill? What kind of magic practice?"

"Dipper. I. Believe. You **ARE** ready." Bill was doing that overblown dramatics he does. "To permanently get the gnomes to no longer be an annoyance! I am sure there is at least one little girl in town who would love to be their queen, and they would take care of her. Those little… they make excellent liaisons with the best spies around."

"And those spies are?" I chuckled, this is sounding more and more ridiculous.

"Squirrels!"

I fell backwards gasping in laughter, my magic bursting into little sparks of joy. This has got to be a joke, and it is really funny.

Bill floated down to my level, looking me in the eye sternly. He planted his little hands on my shoulders, and spoke in his most serious voice (which was very different from his scary rumbling voice). "Pine Tree. I am not joking. They already work in synchronicity. They go anywhere and everywhere. Link them together into a hive mind… and you have an army of watchers. Adorable, rascally little watchers. You need to practice your mind magic, and you won't do it on random tourist chumps or anyone you know… so do it on the gnomes! They have a similar enough mind structure to humans to practice on, you can't really do anything more damaging to them than you already have… and Shooting Star will adore it."

_Damn, those are all good points._

"Also, you give them a couple cellphones and they can get the squirrels to check the status of any 'emergencies'..."

"But wouldn't I be just doing like Gideon did? Pretending to be psychic while just using something else to learn everybody's secrets?"

"Excuse me, but Gideon lied to everyone. You can just tell them the truth - they may or may not believe you, and may develop a fear of squirrels, but mostly you are just brokering a treaty with the gnomes. Nobody needs to know about the squirrels. Besides, can't you just see your sister running around having put a saddle for squirrels on Waddles, getting texted by super spy gnomes?"

I giggled at the image. "That would be so totally Mabel. And she'd make little sweaters or badges for all the gnomes in the town protection squad. It would pacify a threat, because we could put protections on whoever wanted to be their queen…" I trailed off as I starting thinking through the logistics, quickly summoning a war table that mapped the town and woods of Gravity Falls. "Yeah, that could work." _I should be concerned about this. And I should make this map IRL._ But it doesn't seem like a dangerous plan, or like it will aid Cipher in any way…

I shook my head to dispel my concerns. Bill has to be manipulating me, I know he is, but at this point there is nothing I can do about it. I have already surrendered too much of myself, for knowledge, power, comfort… He knows exactly how to get me to do what he wants… and… it has honestly been nice (really nice) having him around. Nobody gets me - Mabel is busy with school stuff, I really don't know how to approach Grunkle Ford, but at least maybe we can get the whole gang together for this operation.

 _I… know… I'll live long enough to become the villain._ Because even if I want to die, want to give up… I'm not strong enough. Any deals have to be much stricter, much fewer loopholes… I know at least once he has fully possessed me - when is that not going to be enough? _If he keeps burning his energy to fuel teaching me, to partially possess me, he won't be able to build up enough to do anything without me noticing right?_

"Hey. Stop that." Bill's arms held me from behind and squeezed me tight, holding me close. "Don't fret." I couldn't help but relax as I felt warm… fuzzy… Bill gives good hugs. _What was I thinking about?_ "Shhh" he said, calmly petting my head until I stopped struggling to think. "You need to focus. Don't get distracted by things you cannot control." His body slowly, warmly vibrated, almost like a purring cat. _He… he's doing it… again. I need… clarity. The sanctuary._

_Yeah… I'll do that._

"Hush little Pine Tree, don't say a word, Cipher's gonna find you a firebird  
And if that phoenix bird gets mad, we'll douse it in water so it's sad  
And when that fire bird does die, its little chicklet will not cry  
Because it found a great Pine Tree, who'll care for it and let it 'free'  
And when it flies into that wall, gravity will say it's time to fall  
And after all that it's been through, your little phoenix will love you...."

Fading away, I mumbled, "Bill. That's fucked up…"

* * *

 

Why does he resist so much? I just want him to grow, to flourish, to be happy. None of this annoying teenage funk. I know he'll never trust me, the only one he trusts is his sister, but I can be patient. Besides, endless power should not be entrusted to teenagers - that is why its the most fun to give it to them. Hopefully this should excite him, renew his friendships, and let him bleed off his tension. He needs an outlet, somebody he can just torture for fun and profit. His morals are weighing him down - depressing him.

No more apathy! It is the worst! And frustratingly… I feel… weird about breaking him down, melding him into the perfect submissive pet. I want him… to want it… to be happy. It… hurts… to see my sapling in pain, to see what he has gone through, for him to have nightmares if I didn't interfere. I don't want his curiosity to break, for him to abandon mystery and danger. I have to help him, keep him safe, find him something to train healing on, or even better - rescue him myself, in my own vessel, in his reality.

My body hummed in excitement at the idea of Pine Tree looking up at me, those chocolate eyes sparkling with desire, desire to please his master, relieved that the danger had faded, but slightly worried that he didn't do well enough. Then I would pick him up, hold him close, he would lean back, letting his muscles relax completely in trust, and I would whisper a joke in his ear. He would know then that it was okay to make mistakes, hell things get out of hand all the time - I should know.

But still, at this point, he needs to stop being so paranoid. Yeah yeah yeah, I am manipulating him. He is manipulating me, using me for knowledge. We both know it, can we just get over it? There are more important things to worry about - like not nearly dying constantly. Hah! I'll suggest taking over during the meat sack training class he is in! I'll get to feel the pain! Oooh yay! I shivered in excitement. That should… no he is no way ready for teleportation… he just needs to get over his whole morals problem - maybe I'll show him all the deals I've made with the Northwests, then let him go in there and vent a while. Put the collar on the parents, hand Llama the keys…

Ah fuck!

I can't move again!

Stupid fucking whatever the hell this is!

**PINE TREE!!!!**

I would explode in anger, **If I COULD MOVE…**

… ugh…

...finally

I Bippered him as soon as I was able. "Whhhyyyyyy do you do this to meeeee? It hurts." I whined.

_Oh shaddup Bill, deal with it. You want me to mess with the gnomes, I want a safe space in case they go kaiju on me._

"Fine…" I grumbled, making sure to step around obstacles which Sapling would have encountered. "But we are doing this right? Please?"

_Tomorrow after school. I just wanted to be prepared in case of…_

"Anything and everything that goes wrong? Look I have enough awesome presence that even if they fall into your mind, rather than you into theirs, I can kick them out. And if they see me that is why we have the blood - for the bindings. Your uncle has cages in case we need them - and you have the silencing spell down. Your sister has to text you for you to open the door when its up. So. Rest up. Relax."

_Isn't tonight a study night?_

Huh oh yeah it is… I don't want him to have the side effects… "We'll do something short, something non - traumatic. Once we get the hang of this body stuff I can do stuff at the same time as you."

_It's the eyes. Its weird looking in two different directions at once, and only moving one part…_

"Then tonight - I'll show you your summer from my view - just inside the house. All of my eyes at once."

_Not Grunkle Stan's…_

"Hey, just cause I can see everywhere doesn't mean I watch everywhere. Eww. I was only always watching you. And Stan with the portal. Ugh using their names is weird…"

_Deal with it. You'll blow your cover._

I rolled my eye, disorienting Pine Tree in the process, causing him to stumble on a rock. Yeah, hopefully tonight will help. Multiple viewpoints, brains, bodies, handling them all at once.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've been having bad writers block. Barely getting anything done at all. So until it goes away and I rebuild my buffer I am very sorry to say I'll only be updating once a week


	19. Again

As soon as I woke up, I rushed to the bathroom, retching as my stomach vainly attempted to expel my own intestines. After rinsing my mouth with water, then emptying my stomach again, I lay back against the cool ceramic of the bathtub, eyes closed, trying to center myself.

_No. No. No. There is a fucking eye looking right down into the tub, above the shower head. Why the FUCK would Grunkle Ford put that there? Ever? The fuck of a pervert is he? And he wanted Bill to see everything._

_Bill kept his promise to me. He was always watching. And thank god he wasn't always watching Mabel. I…_

I puked. I do not need to see my sister's… It was over a year ago, and I am glad I showered as infrequently as I did. Also very glad he didn't watch Grunkle Stan shower. Eww. Eww.

He really did watch me - from all angles. I suspected all that time ago that the laptop didn't have a countdown timer - I was right.

So many angles, viewpoints, it made my head spin. I lay there for however long it was, until Mabel barged in on me looking completely hungover.

"Bro - Bro?" she asked with a concerned expression, "are you alright? Was it… interesting? Last night?" She spoke quietly, knowing today was headache day.

"Oh, morning sis. The dream… was seriously fucked up. He wanted me to see his perspective, so… he showed me… last summer, from his view, just of this house." I leaned back, wiggled my hand at the light, and continued. She thoughtfully turned it off. "There are eyes in the showers." I figured that would explain it pretty well. "Also, like 50 eyes in the house, not counting Grunkle Ford's study slash worship room." I rolled my eyes. "Though I now know where all of them are… inside the house…"

She shuddered at the implications of Cipher eyes in the showers. That her Great Uncle Ford put them there.

I interrupted her "He didn't watch you shower. He didn't care to. Or mostly he didn't pay attention. He watched me. Just like he promised. Every step, every note I made in the journal. He watched Grunkle Stan work on the portal. You… you weren't a threat to him. I didn't see the dreams he gave us all. Mabes, he played us all. He used you. He is still using me… I, I'm… I'm still his puppet. That deal… it isn't over. It never was. And now…"

Mabel wrapped her arms around me, holding me and letting me shake, nearly crying into her shoulder. "I know." she whispered. "He told me."

"I'm sorry Mabel, I am a terrible brother. I got so wrapped up in myself, in my own head. I, a big part of me just wants to give up, to let him win. I honestly wouldn't get up if he didn't pester me into it. The worst part," I started chuckling in a sad, sad way "is that I am finally excited about something. Something he suggested. I can't tell if he just knows me too well, or if he's mucking around with my emotions so I am this perfect pet or minion or something. Cause its fucking mind magic on the gnomes - settling this stupid issue with their queen. Cause I can't, won't try mind magic on humans."

She pulled me up, took me downstairs, gave me coffee. I don't even know if I could deal with this without her. I'd probably have gone out into the woods and killed myself. _Fuck. Whatever._ I let Bill join in this shitty discussion.

"Pine Tree. I wouldn't let you do that. I need you alive."

Mabel startled a bit, hearing Bill speak with my voice, turning around, seeing one slitted golden eye, and my one normal one. With a wink from Bill, they both turned pitch black. "Oh." she gasped. "Every time?"

I nodded, and Bill explained. "I hear his thoughts, and I either respond verbally, via writing, or with code." He tapped his(my) fingers in that complex pattern, tracing symbols and tapping in our code. He smirked as he continued, my hand reaching out for the coffee she had in hand. "I only have partial control, and Pine Tree can override any body impulse I give, kicking me out of the driver's seat as you meatbags would…" he had to stop talking when I began sipping the coffee. Mabel stared, clearly wondering if Bill was saying something very seperate to me while he talked to her. Which he was.

**_Honey, you can't just like that. You matter. This stupid IDEA that you aren't doing good enough! Seriously! I'm sorry about last night. I didn't realize how incapable you humans are at multitasking, much less noticing pertinent details. One set of eyes for you only, when you need to look inside (for healing), you can focus. Don't worry. *hug* I will think of other ways we can help you multitask - we need to so we can protect all your friends without draining you instantly._ **

_I know. Triggered protection is much more efficient._

In between my coffee inhalation, Bill reveled in the sting of the heat, and continued, "Mostly I keep him from tripping over himself. Now Pine Tree, we have a big day ahead of us. Star, he worries too much. The gnomes are not going to mass together to attempt to kill him. But if they do, you'll just blast them apart!" His smile was vivacious, the opposite of the rest of Dipper's body, which now that it had its coffee (honestly completely a placebo at this point, what with Cipher and all…) was slightly more alert. "Now! To victory and glory! Don't worry, he will be perfectly safe."

We got up (me and Bill, that is) to go and inform Ford of my business plan for after school, and to yell at Grunkle Stan that'd I be busy today.

"Okay! I can do this." I paced back and forth, right before entering the gnome village. _And I could. I would._ I strolled confidently in, surprising the gnomes working at my sudden appearance. The village looked the same as ever, comfortable for the gnomes, but in no way acceptable for a human girl. _Oh look it's the stump they tied Mabel to._ They watched me out of the corner of their eyes (wise), constantly checking to see if I was looking at them. When I had burst through the hedge, one ran off, probably to go get Jeff. I passed my gaze over them, but slightly above their heads, right at their hats, just to unnerve them. I stood there for around ten minutes, just watching, freaking them all out, before I sat on the stump.

I spoke clearly. "I need a volunteer." I pointed to one at random, kinda hiding behind a frond. "You, what's your name?" I demanded.

It squeaked out "Dave."

"Good. You'll do. Come on." I got up to leave, when finally their questions spilled out.

"Why? What are you gonna do to us? Why Dave? What do you want Dipper?" I turned and glared at the one who called me by name.

"Did I give you permission to speak?" I stood tall, faking confidence, but these were just gnomes. We literally handled them in our first week here. The one I stared at quailed, then looked away.

"Sorry, sir." _Oooh, I like that. Much better._ I smirked, turned away, and began to leave.

"Get your ass over here Dave! I know how fast you guys can run." I used my best booming Grunkle Stan voice. _I'm doing it. Yes! It's working._

I hurried back to the shack, ignoring any questions the gnome had, and, making sure to grab him so he couldn't run off and cause chaos, brought him into my lab.

My lab took up about half the empty attic room, the one with the very intricate Cipher window I had used to spy on Mabel and 'Norman' all that time ago. The room was divided in two by heavy curtains and a line of runes running along the floor. Out front I had a small table with a couple chairs for doing group projects, such as ward making or homework, as well as a supply of Pitt Cola. Behind the curtains, inside the wards, the privacy spells, however, was a very cluttered desk usually covered in projects. Today though, it was empty, having finished the reptile tank I improved for creature containment and homing. (Yes, it was a small reptile tank I enlarged, I barely make any money.) One side was covered in glyphs, so that I could turn on and off any properties I needed. There were light controls, sound controls, magical locks, and I could add more if I needed to later. Inside was a small pillow and blanket, and the mundane heavy blanket so anyone could cover the tank if they wanted. I had my office chair for zooming around in, and I had pulled in a stool for Dave to sit on. On the walls were shelves full of miscellania spell reagents, and one shelf was stocked with my journals, spellbook, the journals, and other books on magic I acquired.

I sat Dave on the stool, shouted downstairs I was in my office, and closed the curtains, activating the seal. I grabbed my notebook, sat down, and relaxed.

"Stay there, and Do Not Touch Anything," I ordered as I let myself drift meditatively into the mindscape.

* * *

 

Pine Tree did great. This is good. Very good.

As he appeared in the main room, I doused him in confetti and sparkles, grabbing him from behind in a hug!

"Congrats Pine Tree! I knew you could do it!" I beamed at him from my human form. He shook with nervous energy, finally letting out all that tension he had been holding back, hiding behind his 'mask'.

He looked up at me, hair mussed slightly, but chocolate eyes shining bright. "Bill" he gasped, shocked at how easily it came to him.

I lounged in one of the bean bags, drinking a margarita. "Good job kid. You did great. Let yourself relax, celebrate. It can't do shit! It's scared out of its boots! Oooh, you should take its hat off, do physical examinations with Sixer." He had had so many doubts about his capability, but my Sapling deserved this deference. He earned it.

Laughing, my Sapling summoned a Pitt Cola, cracked it, and lay next to me, sipping it. "I… I didn't think it would work." He giggled as he spoke. "You shoulda seen it! They barely spoke! They didn't even protest! His name is Dave." Shaking in relief, he played on the screen the memory he formed, and we laughed as we replayed the video of Dave scurrying to get in front of me, terror radiating off his tiny form.

Ohh, I like this feeling. This. This is perfect. Me and Pine Tree, laughing over the subjugation of a race.

All of a sudden I felt Dipper's lips on mine, and I opened my eye, to see him smirking down at me. "I'm ready. Let's rip into his head."

I shook my head, pleased as could be. My sapling was learning. Listening, without knowing. He probably gets confused sometimes who is thinking what. That just means everything I've been showing him, telling his unconscious, is working.

I grinned. He's mine. And he wants me. Anything I want… I held him tight, petting his head. "This is all you Pine Tree. Enjoy something else's Dreamscape. Knock yourself out kid."

He looked up at me, sparkling with glee, "You were right - it felt good, how they treated me."

"Of course I was. I'm always right." I poked him in the cheek, sticking my tongue out at him. "Now go. Have fun. I'll see you tonight."

He grinned, spun around, and waved, still high from the adrenaline. As his presence faded, I chuckled to myself. Time for resource accumulation - and a body to live in.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 24 is hell. Hell! Its terrible.
> 
> Fun fact: The gnome is named Dave after my father. Guess how well things will go for this gnome?


	20. Dreamscapers: Pint Size Edition

The evergreen dominated the world - as large as a skyscraper, climbing up to the canopy, where there should have been a sky. Behind me, and all around was mist, fog that swallowed up the world, the only clarity lay in front and above. I was nestled in among a maze of roots, ranging in size from the thickness of my head to taller than me. Moss grew on and around the roots, making a path into the mist. Besides the mist, grass grew as tall as me, and everything's size had been magnified.

This must be because I'm inside a gnome's head, everything is this large to them.

I smelled decaying pine needles, the rot of dying plants under my feet, mixed with the scent of dew, and the vigor in old, ancient life. High above me, upon a branch about five stories up sat a bird's nest, and from within I could hear the crunch of a settling beast. Something was afraid, confused, on guard.

_This gives me a very Wonderland feel. I suppose I won't discover anything just standing here._

So I began clambering, climbing, dropping, wrestling with the rough texture of the bark, making my way into the dark. Thankfully as I progressed, the area around me stayed nicely bright grey, and lent an optimistic vibe, rather than the dismal dark I expected.

_Why would a maze of roots scare a gnome? And, should I use magic? Or manipulate things? No. He might not know I am here yet, and I should probably understand more before I begin to change. Thankfully, I shouldn't kill him, though I don't think destroying this tree would help his sanity much at all. Heh._

After an indeterminate amount of time, I made it to a hole, leading directly into the tree. Knocking on the wood, it echoed, the tree that compromised his head was hollow. My clothes had picked up grime, dust, and mud, as well as some sort of musty substance I could not identify in grey. Peering inside, there was a room. A standard normal foyer with of all things, an umbrella stand and coat rack (really?). At the other end lay an arch. Beyond that, a spiral hallway climbing endlessly upwards. Right in the middle was the core of the tree, thrumming with life and energy.

_I could kill him._

_What would happen if I drilled a hole into the center?_

_Where are his memories? There is only a circular slope. Are they the knots in the woodgrain?_

I pressed on one of the knots, and jumped backwards, expecting something. Nothing happened, so I tried grabbing it, and twisting. It turned, like a doorknob, although my hand had disappeared into the side of the tree. Pulling, nothing happened, but when I pushed, it popped outwards, leaving a window into a memory.

Gnomes were feasting, having stolen a blueberry pie. It smelled so strong, so wonderful. Jeff congratulated them on a successful heist. "A toast to Dave, for distracting the One-Eyed Hoarder of Sweets, and escaping the broom!" He was covered in scratches, and had a bruise forming on his head.

_So I've caught one of the nimble ones. Good. I should… try it now._

I crawled into the memory hole, and began. First, I changed the coloring, the tone. Now it was a bleak celebration. I muffled the words of Jeff, and had other gnomes begin muttering. The pain that Dave must feel, I amplified it, increased the vividness of how none of the other gnomes were wounded, just Dave. They got away, but barely. Dave survived, but he had been chosen as the distraction, and now his tooth hurt so he could barely chew. The pie - was it worth it? Were they using him? Jeff was mocking him, this wasn't a cheer. Dave barely succeeded, and if he had failed, nobody would get to eat. But no one else got hurt. Only him.

Satisfied, I did not want to change too much. Bill had said that might be counter productive, and changing how someone felt, is much easier than changing facts. Amplify or muffle aspects, play on their desires, their fears. Change the perspective, introduce doubt.

I left then, because who knew how long that actually took - and well, I've got plenty of time. And if I mess up badly…

I grinned, and woke up. Grunkle Ford has never had a chance to examine them without their hats, and now I really want some pie.  


* * *

 

Ahh, an empty body. All to myself. I stretched Pine Tree's body to near its popping point. All that physicality, that pain of being tied to gravity, of forcing meat to contort. My smile widened, and that creature stared, quivering in fear. It smelled delicious. But it wouldn't do to kill Sapling's test subject. So instead, I leaned in, let it see me behind Pine Tree's eyes.

"You don't want to move. It would make us both rather irritated." I smirked, and collected a couple of pairs of handcuffs, as well as the Alice. Giving him a pointed glance, I cuffed his ankles to the stool, then shrank the cuffs. "Oh and don't try to pick them. They are iron after all, we wouldn't want you to hurt yourself. You just stay here and take care - oh, and you know better than to say anything right?" I winked at him as I left the room, darkening our eyes. This is after all, both me and Pine Tree's body, for now.

Hmm, is Sixer home? Now would be the perfect time to spy. Lets see. I waltzed downstairs, where Shooting Star and I called "Hey" to each other. She was creating another monstrosity of an art project using more glitter than was ever appropriate. In the kitchen, I grabbed a Pitt Cola and reveled in the taste, the texture, the bubbles in the liquid gurgling down my throat. A meatsack is nowhere near as nice as my body, though seeing, winking, feeling is fun every once in a while. Now if only Pine Tree was willing to engage in violence, that excerise room in his school is not nearly the same as ripping into someone. Fez was in the gift shop alone, hoping shmucks would come along on a weekday afternoon.

"Hey Grunkle Stan"

"Hey kid." He looked over at me, saw my pitch black schlera, and asked, "You ever think about doing that while working tours or the register? It'd drive up sales."

"Hmm…" I mimicked Pine Tree's thinking face, "I probably could, but…"

"But what?"

"I want equal pay as Mabel." That should perk him up. "I have to ask Grunkle Ford to purchase any books I need, or reagents I can't gather myself. I want a stockpile ahead of time, and right now the gnome is just handcuffed to a stool."

He looked askance at that. "Nasty buggers. I'll… think about it. I don't know if we can afford to have three layabouts working on their own projects all the time."

Liar. Fez you little bitch. I shrugged in apparent carelessness, "Alright. I'll just sell the actual stuff to locals on my own then."

"Wait Dipper." Ah, hook, line, and sinker.

"Yes?"

"You could make charms and junk for the shop, and get a cut of the profits. Minimum wage too."

"No fleecing locals though. If I am making it, and you tell them I'm making it, it will be real, and no adding zeros to the price tag."

He thought about it for a while. "Sounds fair enough. Anyway, why do you do that all the time anyway?" He pointed at his own eyes for clarity.

"Focus. When we go on adventures I want everyone having warding charms, and ones that don't break immediately are better. So just building my reservoir, so I can protect us all at once. Full on warding circles take time and energy to make."

As I began to 'nerd out' and Fez's eyes began to glaze over, I went over to the vending machine, and punched in the code. As the secret door slid open, I asked, "What should I tell Grunkle Ford is for dinner?"

Fez responded, saying something, but I paid no attention. Lab skulking time. Once inside the elevator, I carefully scratched an eye into the corner, just in case most of the others had been destroyed.

"Grunkle Ford?" I called out. "I brought a gnome home. He's handcuffed to the stool. We should study him later."

"Oh, Dipper." He started, glancing up quickly. "That is good. I'll have to prepare housing and proper restraints. This is great! How did you get one to come back with you?"

He continued talking, but I ignored what he had to say for now, and investigated instead, keeping my eyes out of view in case he looked my way. Thankfully, Fordsy was perfectly happy to have a conversation without looking at the other party. The portal had certainly been modified, and it's sensors stayed at a steady, low, reading. Dormant then. But the last portal opened was to - ahh, C-87. Wonder what Sixer was doing there? That new addition that I did not design must be the sealing mechanism, keeping the whole thing locked down. I'll have to come back again, don't push my luck when everything goes to plan. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I want to give a huge thanks to FalkiiRaelis who proofread for me, finding like 10 seperate typos.


	21. Ignite

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: Angry Triangle Smut Ahead

Pine Tree was livid to find his body not in the exact same position he had left it. I had been doing research on his laptop, checking up on my contractees, finding mortal ways of contacting them. When he returned from his delve, I immediately gave back control. He still thought that I needed permission for each and every thing I did? Hilarious.

Oh, here he goes looking through my history, I am sure he will have questions. Ah, a pie craving. I wonder if he had the balls to actually change anything, or if he just explored. We shall see.

"Good evening Pine Tree. Did your efforts bear fruit?" I asked him once he fell asleep, attempting to avert his wrath. It had been seeping through his mind all evening, the trees bled blood instead of sap. It's the little, subtle details that really make a nightmare, the kind that the owners never even notice, but that have that association.

He glared at me, pacing, refusing to meet my eye. "What the hell Cipher? What did you do with my body? You looked up some people, but what else did you do?"

He wants to take offence? Well. "I arranged for you to sell your charms in the gift shop. And get paid minimum wage. You use our gaze, to unnerve tourists. You can even sell the charms at an uninflated price to locals. I also did preliminary examinations into the fact that Fordsy decided to put a seal on this universe and dimension - which is of course, likely to blow up in all of our faces!" I may have turned huge and red as I spoke, but Pine Tree's glare…

**Screw it.**

If he starts lecturing me, it is time for a punishment.

And **here he goes**. He took a deep breath in, attempting to calm himself, and berated me. "Bill Cipher why the fuck do you think that you have any right to just slip in and use me like that! How do I even know if you are telling me the truth? And who are those people?"

I smacked him on the head with my cane. "Shut up. Let me make something **clear** to you. You are **not** in charge. This may be your head, your body, but if I wanted to, you have no say in what you do. See, you never stopped being my puppet!" _So that deal… was to_ "Yes it was. You suspected, but even so, this entire time you wanted it, wanted that knowledge, craved the speed, craved learning from me, you avoided the alternate option, the one that would end the deal. It only goes until we finish that book. I am sure at that point we can make another arrangement." I cackled a bit, watching him pale and tremble, trying valiantly to not blame himself for his situation.

"Oh but Pine Tree dear, you know I won't let anything bad happen to you. I like you too much for my own good, you see. But you do need to learn your place. You know why I can't trust anyone in your family, except for maybe your sister. You all want me gone, dead, and my statue destroyed. Oh you thought I wouldn't notice that? You wound me. I use **my** tools, and too bad kid, you are one. Hmm…" I leaned around him, rubbing the area a chin would be, pondering his punishment.

"So kid, I've decided." I transported us in a blink to his memory palace, to his knowledge of reading. "I don't think you take this seriously enough. I think you need a bit of a reminder, that I can still make your life hell. I won't touch anything I've taught you, but really, I am the Master of the Mind." With that, I barricaded away his capability to read, leaving cracks in the wooden slats comprising the barrier. So he sometimes, just barely, can read a tiny bit. _Wait.. this is… No!_

"Now, I'll let you wake up," I rushed, speaking over his thoughts before he could form a coherent rebuttal, "but don't even think of betraying me or telling anyone. I'm always listening." I winked and let him wake in fear. Maybe he'll just think its a nightmare - at least until he tries to read.

Heh.

I may have been a bit harsh.

Oh well.

 

* * *

I sat up in bed suddenly, drenched in sweat. _What the fu… What memories were those? How will I even know what I forgot? And its a lesson night isn't it… I guess if I don't want him gaining more power over me, I need to finish the lessons sooner rather than later, and that means… the Kama Sutra. So sex. Wait no, its not a lesson night, but the sex replaces a lesson, so it could be one? Whatever._ I shook my head to attempt to clear my thoughts, try and acclimate to an unknown loss, the concept that I really should have been sleeping with a demon more, and the sheer terror that came from him in a temper.

_Fuck._

_At least I can jerk off now…_

_Fuck what did I lose???_

_Will it be over then? Should I try practicing on my own? Shit what would Mabel say if she found out I had a copy of the Kama Sutra!_

_Oh wait - she would mock me incessantly, but internet piracy thank god. I can hide a pdf in my laptop. Were those people that he's made deals with? Did he actually just resolve my fear of asking Grunkle Stan for more money? What does he want with me? Clearly to use me - he wants me to take control or at least gain influence over the gnomes. Why? Probably not the squirrels… Are they a first step? ...if I don't continue to learn mind magic, will I be in danger? Or was it just a ploy to have unwatched time in a body?_

_Gah!_

_And he's listening to all of this too! What do I do? He seems to hate it when I stay in the sanctuary… Why? Note: investigate this. Oh god is he gonna throw me down the stairs again? Nooo!_

_Calm down Dipper, you are chewing on your shirt. Breath in, and out. In, and out._

_In. And out._

_Kama Sutra tonight. Hope he calms down. He probably wants lab access. I should make some wards to sell. He wants me to make something, or cast something… that means costs and reagents. Makes sense. If I keep getting better at magic I make a better puppet._

Is he going to force me to kill someone? Or something? Fuck.

Crap, lets get this over with. Bill. I choose the ...sex lessons. Please. And umm. I didn't mean to make you mad.

Falling back asleep was hard, especially when all I wanted was to keep worrying in my head, or puzzling out his motives, but tomorrow would be hell already, and I did not want to make it worse.

Eventually, I fell asleep, only to find myself in pitch blackness. A cloth covered my eyes. _Great. A blindfold. And I'm cold._ I was nearly entirely naked, only wearing tight silk boxers, some long opera style gloves stitched together behind my back, and the blindfold. _Oh crap. Its all matching silk. I bet its black or gold too. I'm tied up like a present._ I'm on top of those silk sheets he likes.

"So, how does this feel? Much better?" Bill crooned from somewhere behind my left ear. "One important thing to learn is that sensory deprivation doesn't actually make all your other senses better, but it makes you pay attention to them. You can speak, you know. And I know that I maybe overreacted a little. I am sorry for that Pine Tree. I did not mean to lose my temper. And I won't throw you down the stairs. What I will do is if you intend to betray me, I will temporarily paralyze you. Nobody will notice you having trouble speaking." Bill reached around, and pulled me back into his lap, wrapping his arms around me, pressing my silk covered arms against his brickwork. _So warm._

"Umm… are you going to make me kill anyone?"

"Not unless it's absolutely necessary. I know that it would hurt you, and it is really a waste. Domination, sleep, or forget spells can all be used to great effect. Though," and he chuckled at this, his shape vibrating with pleasure, electrifying my whole body in a warm intense tingle. _Silk…_ "if you ever want to let loose, destroy stuff, I won't stop you." _Oh god!_ He began petting the top of my head, running his fingers along my brow, tracing my birthmark. "It's a shame really, that you hide these away. They are beautiful." He spun me around, and I almost fell down, getting myself tangled in the sheets.

"Engh" I squeaked. "It feels so… nice"

"Good. Now Pine Tree. I want you to give yourself over to feeling. Let yourself lose control. Accept it, feel it. Welcome it." Those last words were whispered against my mouth, right before he closed his eye against my lips. I pressed my lips against his eye, and I kissed him. _Alright. This isn't so bad. Its kinda freeing… in a way._

I pulled away. "The restrictions. I mean. If that makes sense."

He began rubbing my back, up and down, reaching down to my ass. _Ahh!_ The sensation was magnified _tenfold? A hundredfold?_ a lot. I felt myself straining against the limits of my underwear, and the friction… "Mmmnh. Oh. Yes." This is embarrassing. I bet I'm red all over. It feels so… "Eep!" He squeezed, massaging me through my clothes. My body pressed up as close as I could to him. His bricks were rough, hot, sandstone. _He really is a pyramid._ I giggled. _These underwear are wayy too tight._ "Bill," I rasped "my pants. Please."

"Ooh, ready so soon?" He stroked me.

…!

His tentacle, or hand, when he reached inside my pants. So moist, warm. I had trouble breathing. It's a good thing he was holding me up, or I would have fallen over. Especially all tied up and vulnerable, exposed.

 

_Oh yeah. I am always completely exposed to Him._

_It feels good._

_Safe._

Warm.

! "Aaah!" I gulped in intensity when he snapped the elastic of my underwear.

"Ready?" I nodded frantically.

"Yes. Please, Bill please." The line between spoken word and thought, even coherency was fading fast. I felt… so… "uhh" much.

He held me tight, to prevent me from falling over. I couldn't think. He pulled my waistband down, bit by bit. The silk rubbing across my member… so intense. No wonder we love silk so much. At last, he overcame my frantic squirming and released me from my prison.

Into the cold air. I felt it hit as a rush, and bits of my precum splashed off, to land on him and on my thighs. He took me, all of me into his hand, and it felt so good, so off. _Does his hand always feel like a rubber noodle eraser? How many fingers?_ I moaned in ecstasy.

_Up._

_Down._

_Pulling._

_Always._

_Pumping._

_More._

_More._

_More._

_Please._

_Please!_

_Yes._

_Yes!_

"Aaaaaaahhhhh!"

And he held me tight, while I shuddered from the aftershocks rippling through my body. My arms broke apart and clung to him. Everything felt, from the cum splattered between my chest and his bricks, to the roughness of the grit in between. I smelled - no we smelled of sweat and sex. The tears in my gloves letting cold air in onto my sweat covered wrists.

"Hey Pine Tree. Wanna go again?"

 _You can do anything in the mind._ I smirked.


	22. I Burn

It was only when Pine Tree arrived at school the next morning that he discovered what happened. The shock as he couldn't understand what lay right before him, then the inner realization led him to almost start crying in a choked sob. I helped him then, helped him maintain a facade, to not physically shake and cry.

His hate and anger washed through his mind, followed by despair, shock, disbelief that I would do this - that he could lose - he couldn't even think the words. He couldn't comprehend that he could no longer make out the words laying in front of him.

I don't feel bad.

Bill Cipher doesn't regret.

Should I? Pine Tree sat paralyzed in agony, only not drawing attention because I held his body still.

I chose to speak, to write out in my cipher the truth. He would fall apart if I didn't.

_**Pine Tree.** _

He was shocked, horrified to watch his hand write out his name, and he understood. He couldn't read English.

But he could read my cipher.

His mind raged as all his emotions suddenly exploded, whirled around in a tornado, tore his forest apart.

I don't feel good. Not in this storm.

If I held him, he would kill me. If I tried to speak… I would fall apart from the bitterness, the anger, the rawness of his mind, of my prison, burning me to ash just like his trees were burning.

**HE EARNED THIS!**

I broke my hold, let him shake, cry, break down in front of his class. Watched him burn his home.

This isn't right.

He left school, tempering his whirlwind. Holding it back so nobody would see. He ran away.

I was paralyzed again.

Trapped in one place while his emotions raged around me, stinging me, tearing holes in my form.

It hurt.

 **NOT** in a **GOOD** way.

I could only watch as his flames heated, burned the world.

It was a fog that paralyzed me, stopped the fire. Stopped everything. Everything turned grey, bland. Fire banked, the embers smoldered, trapped just like me.

At least it wasn't just me stuck.

When the fog lifted, when I could hear his thoughts again - though they were monotonous, barely there, just focusing on walking, both of us exhausted, and that was all there was left.

He made it back to the shack, not to talk to anyone, he couldn't do that, but only to collapse on his bed where he couldn't even cry. He needed to cry. He needed to feel.

**HE NEEDED TO BE NOT NUMB!**

**HE WAS NOT ALLOWED TO DO THIS AGAIN!**

...if I try to talk, he'll hurt me.

But he needs to eat, to speak, to dominate. His smile when he finally feels self confidence is infectious. He deserves to take charge. He deserves to have his darkest desires fulfilled, to win, as long as he partnered with me.

…am I afraid?

I can't be afraid.

Bill Cipher is **NOT** afraid of what his sapling thinks. I cannot be! I am the fucking Eye of Providence. I am worshiped! I am not afraid of anything!

**I am NOT AFRAID OF DIPPER PINES!**

**FUCK HIM, HE EARNED THIS!**

I fanned the embers, let them reignite. **WHO CARES WHAT SOME DUMB KID THINKS OF ME!**

… i don't…

* * *

 

The words swam, tempting, teasing, just on the border of decipherable. Dipper almost was glad that Cipher had him in his clutches, that he couldn't break down in front of everyone. It gave Dipper space to feel, to let his emotions consume him. And the shock that he could read Bill's cipher… Dipper felt a lot of rage in that moment. He knew that he couldn't deal with this today, so after class he let Mabel know that he would see her at home.

She could see his fists clenched, she knew something was up, and it probably had something to do with the gnome in a jar. So she nodded, understanding that Dipper was studying the creature, and prepared to find a messed up workroom after school. She was wrong, but it was better that she thought it was the gnome than guessing Dipper and Bill had a fight, and then Dipper getting paralyzed again.

Instead he went to his sanctuary, and screamed, cried, even hid in a sweater Mabel had made him.

_I'm safe here. Cipher can't do anything to me here. Nothing can._

Dipper couldn't bear to look at his bookshelf, couldn't bear to discover whether it was just English, or if it was reading in general.

_Reading is different from translating or deciphering a code, right?_

_Not being able to read_ \- Dipper laughed a dry, choking laugh. _Is the worst fucking torture. And God, it made perfect sense. I'm even more under his sway now._

Eventually, after a couple hours of cursing, screaming, throwing around lances of energy, and crying, Dipper felt numb. This was good, because he could function numb, at least better than about to explode in hate.

_I'm so fucking stupid._

It was very cold in his sanctuary, which made sense, considering that it was February and Dipper didn't know and hadn't tried to learn fire magic. When Dipper left his cave after lunchtime, he resolved to learn some, just for in-cave heating. He made it home, tripping over what felt like every root, rock and dead branch in the forest. The gnome was asleep until Dipper checked on it, which pissed Dipper off, but it was fair.

Dipper wanted to break Bill, to destroy him. But that would never happen, so instead he lay down. He couldn't talk to Bill right now - he knew he would have to at some point.

When Mabel got home, she came up to check on him. "Hey bro-bro, is everything alright? Did the gnome get out?"

"No. He didn't. But… I fucked up…" _oh shit..._ "a spell. Yeah, he was asleep when I got back, thank goodness. The tank didn't function right and I'm so glad I had the foresight to put something heavy on top because it wouldn't have held him and if he had gotten out he could have made a giant mess and I should take him downstairs to Grunkle Ford we were gonna study him and make better notes and did you know Grunkle Ford has never seen one without their hats on?" Dipper rambled off a lie, his hands twisting in awkward spasms. _Please Mabel don't ask._

"Oh Dipper, you need to stop being such a worrywart. The little guy is probably terrified, but he knows you are trying to figure out a solution to their problem. He probably doesn't want to ruin the village's chances of you helping them out."

"Yeah." Dipper laughed a sad chortle and awkwardly hugged himself. "You are probably right. He was handcuffed after all. I guess I'll take him down to the lab then."

"Oh I asked your classmates for the homework. I texted it to you."

Cipher paralyzed Dipper quickly, just a jolt to make sure he held control of himself. Dipper screamed internally at him. _Fuck you asshole! I have no god damn clue what I am going to do about this! I can't work in the shack, I can't do my homework, I can't read! Screw you and your stupid paralysis! I get it! Leave me the fuck alone you fucking triangle!_

"Oh. Thanks. But Mabes… I kinda don't really need to do it… I ummm… ace all my tests anyway. I could skip two years already. I'm going to high school for you. Its not like I couldn't learn much faster if I didn't go at all."

"Oh. Yeah. How many languages do you know now anyway?"

"I wouldn't say I'm fluent, but five. And Bill knows like all of them, soo... yeah."

"Dip-Dot, you need a girlfriend."

"No I don't!" Dipper squeaked and ran away from his sister, into his workshop, and held the curtains tight. "Hah! Wards active!"

"Nooo! Come out of there! I know you can hear me! I will" and she burst into song at this point, "stand out here forever!" She reverted to speech. "You can't avoid me! I'll catch you one day!"

Dipper began laughing breathlessly. Mabel knew exactly what to say to make him feel better. He grabbed the gnome and took him downstairs, sticking his tongue out at her as he passed by.

"Love you. But I do need to do this with Grunkle Ford."

"You just take, my breath away. I can be, your heeero." She teased him by singing a couple more lines.

_Alright I can do this. It will be good to talk with Grunkle Ford again. This should be fun._

* * *

 

What happened? Why does it look like a whirlwind came through here and stripped all the trees of about 50% of their leaves? I looked around, puzzled at the state my mindscape was in. There were scorch marks on the ground, and piles of pine needles tossed up and scattered around. There was even a residual smell of smoke, rain, and dust.

I just have to make the best of this, I guess. And solve this reading problem. Stay calm Dipper.

"Bill?" I called out hesitantly. "Where are you? Why does it look like a wildfire swept through here? I… uh… went down to the lab with Grunkle Ford. We found out why they need a queen so badly. Without one they have no way to make more gnomes and individually they can be kinda weak. They have to get one from another species, and if a colony is really close to dying out, they all go dormant and turn into garden gnome statues."

"I am listening." He looked worn down and tired, which considering he was a triangle, either meant I was getting very good at determining his moods based on float height, or he was just that exhausted.

I couldn't look him in the eye. "Yesterday after trying to find my way into his tree, I noticed that everything was magnified. Pine needles were as thick as my fingers, the roots formed a life sized maze. I postulate that I was essentially his size. I witnessed and slightly changed one memory. He was bruised and battered after they had made a pie raid - I changed it to a bitter tone, heightened the noticing of the lack of others injured, how they got the easy job, yadda yadda. But since then I've wanted pie.

...and to be able to read."

"Yes that might be a bit inconvenient. Did you investigate the tension on the dimensional seal?"

"Huh?" I asked, confused by his sudden change in topic.

"Sixer's dimensional seal. The thing that's keeping all other universes from leaking into ours, and ours from them. I told you it was going to blow up at this rate. Haven't you noticed a severe lack of ghosts on Samhain, no video game characters coming to life, very few actual anomalies. The pressure is building, and it is already enough to annihilate this entire house!"

"Oh yeah… he said something a while ago, like last year or so about redoing the seal on the town, reinforcing it so that even if you did find out the equation or something you'd still be screwed."

"Yes, and your equation looks accurate. I already know all this. You need to bleed off the energy. That, or move out of the house. But harvesting the energy is much better." He shrugged casually, as though deciding which cereal to eat for breakfast.

"What, so you can use it?" I shouted, glaring at him. "No way!"

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, thanks to FalkiiRaelis for proofing this chapter.
> 
> I am sorry to say that I have had a terrible time getting any writing done lately, so there are only 2 more finished chapters...
> 
> But I am not giving up!


	23. Crystal Matrix

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SPOILER WARNING: Explicit spoilers for Puella Magi Madoka Magica ahead, delivered by sassy Cipher. If you haven't watched it - well, you should - I love it. But if you ignore this warning, I will put ~~~ Before and after. You can also just completely ignore this and ruin the entire storyline of the show. 
> 
> To Dipper: Stop being so curious all the time! You'll ruin things for the readers
> 
> To the Readers: I love y'all. Now for the vote: Should Pacifica become a magical girl? Vote now. I haven't yet decided, but either way - shit's gonna go down

Cipher rolled his eye. "Tch. Pine Tree. You are going to give me energy so I can do whatever I want with it. We either do this the way that doesn't drain yours constantly, by harvesting others, or I take yours and you are useless and tired all the time. You are going to be making these."

 

In front of me appeared a wooden box with a mesh top and a drawer. The top of the box had this webbing, and looked like a tray that you would store things in, but the mesh webbing was made of some sort of sticky threads, some possibly silver wire, some eraser(?) cording, and what felt like the stuff they make hair ties out of. Clearly I would be putting things in there, and the pattern of the different wires and threads and cords appeared mystical. The drawer on the side of the box held what would be raw magic, if the box wasn't conjured up in my brain. The sides were covered in inscriptions, some for purifying, some for draining, some to prevent leakage, and a seal to contain the energy within. The front of the drawer had especially strong seals, and a slot for inserting something around a centimeter in diameter.

 

"This one is a basic purifier. You place the filled crystals in the top and the power will be pulled in and fill up whatever is placed inside the drawer. If you don't have anything in the drawer, you stick your finger or resonance stone in the slot. Clean energy safe for anybody to use."

 

"Hmm… I could do these seals, but the mesh… Resonance stones?"

 

"It's rude to not listen while someone is explaining things to you. Yes, a set of linked crystals. I'm sure you'll want to set one up for your friends protection. That way their little wards will self maintain themselves, and be rechargeable. You can probably only afford quartz right now, but what will happen is the damage that would otherwise go to the wards, draining them of power will be pulled from storage. Of course you should carry around a couple of mana batteries in case you ever need it, but then at least you shouldn't worry about your wards breaking because you couldn't focus."

 

"Oh." I looked down and shuffled my feet.  _ Don't fight with him. He'll take over.  _

 

I was screwed. I had fallen for Bill's trap. I had to rely on him, and he just used me whenever he felt like it.  _ There wasn't even any point in getting angry, or arguing. It's best to just do what he wants, be a good little puppet. He's training me like I am a dog. Its a fucking Pavlovian reaction -  _ I do what he wants  _ (and it's fun and challenging. Why does it have to be so fun to do it?) _ and I end up learning magic, having my pain soothed, getting to play with magic in my mind instead of taking PE. If I fight back every step feels like there are barbs in my skin, I stammer. Until I stop being disobedient. I was tired of fighting. 

 

"Thank you Bill."

 

He floated down, pulled me into his arms, and began petting me. "You are very welcome Pine Tree. Tomorrow while you play around in the gnome's head I'll make a list of the ingredients you'll need and write up the blueprints for you. Once we have a working purifier we can drain off energy from anything. I'll include a chart for what makes good absorbers in there too."

 

"Alright."

 

It felt good to relax in his arms. Even if its dangerous, at least I know the rules - I know where I stand. I am his puppet, his toy to play with. It's safe. 

 

_ Here. _

 

"Yes Sapling?" Bill looked down at me quizzically.

 

"Oh, sorry. I was just thinking. You are nice and warm you know."

 

He chuckled. "That's good. But you don't have to rely on me like that."

 

I pointedly glared up at him, meeting him in the eye. "Oh really?"

 

"Nope! But… I want you to!"

 

_ Yeah I knew that. Stupid demon screwing with me constantly. Bet he's probably rewired my brain too. I shouldn't trust him. _

 

_ Fuck. _

 

_ I trust him. _

 

_ No. No. No! _

 

"Sapling. Stop freaking out! Look at me." I gulped and met his eye. It was empty, except for that starry blackness that held it all. I felt myself falling in, going limp in his arms, staring into his void.

 

_ I… _

 

_...I shouldn't trust him. _

 

_ …But… I do. _

 

He blinked, releasing me from his spell, and I fell to my knees crying.

 

"I. I don't want this. I don't want to feel conflicted all the time! I'm tired of being paranoid, worrying. And then when I relax I feel so guilty! I hate it!"

 

As I cried, Bill rubbed my back, pet my head, and held me, letting me cry into him. "Dipper. It is good that you told me how you are feeling. Human emotions are complicated and frustrating, and your body is pumping you full of hormones. It's normal to feel conflicted and confused. I don't want to see you lose your spark. I want to see you thrive. And I am very very glad you trust me - it means I won't have to hide things from you and manipulate you in order to achieve my goals. We both have to make the best of this situation."

 

"I really want to not be trapped inside your head. My impulses are constantly screaming, but I have to restrain myself. I am actually hoping you will be able to collect enough energy that with a good sacrifice at my statue I might be able to return to Seeing and my normal incorporeal form, to no longer be here. Though… I will confess… I enjoy our time together." Bill turned a bit pink, his form of blushing. 

 

"No! You can't go around screwing with everyone! I won't let you destroy the world!"

 

Cipher looked at me with the kind of glare that cats give - the one that looks at you as though you are stupid. "Seriously? You still think my first priority is to rip a hole in your dimension? After you and your family stopped me? No. You all won that round. Sooo… I have to start a new game, but I don't feel like it. I have to regain my power base, set up a website with my summoning details on it, and begin the groundwork all over again. I want to visit one of my pawns, see how their ascension is going… They only have three years left before they become a demon, I'll probably hang around there for a while. Time Baby's dead, so I'll probably get myself a body and hey, you already have a Time Tape. That makes it much easier."

 

"Pine Tree. I will still come visit you. We still have ongoing deals. I am not going anywhere. I like Gravity Falls. It's home. Now I will almost certainly screw with Sixer, that is such a riot."

 

"Wait, wait. What was that about an ascension? Is there going to be an apocalypse in three years? What the?"

 

He twirled his cane thoughtfully. "I suppose you might not like that. If the guy succeeds he will be using the power of a Hellmouth to transform himself and yes, become a full demon. Not a full on apocalypse, it should only destroy the one town. I gave the guy immortality until he is done, and then I get a new henchmaniac afterwards."

 

I stared slack jaw at him. Sometimes (all the time) Bill just did not get that I would rather no destroyed towns, no murder.

 

"Don't worry Pine Tree, I'll keep you safe. Oh and I think Llama is probably going to make that deal. It's a terrible idea since she'll just slowly kill herself here, but I can't blame her for wanting to 'Not be the next link in the world's worst chain!'"

 

I quickly interrupted him. "Bill. Please. When quoting people just please don't use their voice. Its creepy and very uncomfortable. Especially while you are holding me.  _ I don't want her to die. Shit _ . Bill? If I can't stop her from selling her soul… is there some way I can prevent her from dying? What is all that about anyway?"

 

~~~

 

"Oh in about thirty years they will grant a wish that lets a girl get do - overs, each time slightly different. Problem is they don't remember it, she is the only one who remembers her past tries. She gets all stubborn and resets whenever she reaches a 'bad end' and well… she got a bad end when her whole infatuation who has ridiculous potential rewrites the laws of reality. Now this has and hasn't happened yet, the girl who rewrites the laws will now never be born, but don't worry too much. If it was a really bad problem the Time Police would have dealt with it. Huh. Time Baby probably didn't notice."

 

~~~

 

"And Pine Tree. Do you really want to make a deal with me? Because I know how to save her. But lives cost. You want to know how to save her life? I'm a demon kid. I like you. I don't care about her. There are others who can be my Llama. But if you really want to, you can tell your friends and family about it - after she trades away her soul."

 

"Bill Cipher!" I screamed. "You cannot bargain with my friends lives like that! This is…" I sputtered off into silence.  _ He can do anything he wants. _

 

"This is what I do. I make deals. Do not tell me I cannot. Besides, she hasn't done it yet. You can probably still keep her from trading it away."

 

"Asshole."

 

"Love ya too Pine Tree."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I haven't decided yet - so feedback please. Also... this next chapter has been killing me... its terrible and I hate how it ended up. (Not this one) I am afraid that this fic is going to die... and I really don't want that. I have plot points planned out for the next two years (In story) - just getting there is hard...
> 
> I don't want to stop writing.


	24. Reagent Collecting

 

  * Redwood chest - Red's oldest younger brother does quality work
  * Engravings - That guy at the bar - Offer him a sealing ritual on his roof - It leaks
  * Drider silk - Either revisit Darlene's home, or purchase online. No local source
  * 3mm silver wire - Wash in lake under full moon, 2 ft long
  * Unicorn hair - Have fun!
  * Hair ties - Buy a ton then splice them together. 
  * Have Shooting Star do the actual weaving 
  * Quartz resonance crystals - Explain it to Sixer as a field array, large quantity
  * Battery Plugs - Clay stamps over rowan wood, again do with Shooting Star



 

Pine Tree should have no trouble with these, they make a good test, though if he really has trouble, it would be so much more convenient if he wasn't 14. But no matter, stretching his body out while he plays around in the rat with a hat should be cherished. His body is already much less noodly, now that I get to break it and rebuild it better. Oooh I should terrorize my pawns by sending them emails… now if only I could Watch them freak out. But first, shopping. I went online to the rainforest site, and began ordering supplies. Food, holy water, candles, chalk, books with actual useful information, tools, anything that Pine Tree might need all charged to various random people who were stupid enough to leave their cash in the same place as their credit cards to be delivered to that guy who never leaves his house's house. There. Pine Tree will see that me buying things is handy. 

 

Now for his dream.

 

Pine Tree was a cat. Following his whiskers, he ate his delicious food, then slunk off, watching all the silly humans walking by. He settled into a warm patch of sun. Silly stupid humans, they should be smarter, take naps in the sun, chase and play, not sit in boring buildings and do menial work all day. He meowed at a giant Mabel, and she pet him, making him feel all happy and purry inside.

 

"Aww, Sir Dippingsauce. How has your day been? Did you find a warm spot?"

 

He gazed dispassionately at her and flicked his tail.  _ No duh. I am not in a sunspot right now.  _

 

Pine Tree was an adorable cat, a strong, lean hunter racing through the woods. Everyone loved him, everyone praised him. He was strong and brave, everyone said so, and his demon always was proud of him whenever he made a kill. His demon had work to do, but Pine Tree was smart. He didn't have any work to do because he got fed and cuddled by anyone he asked.

 

* * *

 

"Monster Hunt! Monster Hunt! Monster Hunt!" All five of us chanted in unison, before Mabel had a thought.

 

"Wait, can we really count unicorns as monsters?"

 

"Yes." deadpanned Wendy, "Those assholes are monsters."

 

"You girls are in charge here, thanks for helping me kidnap a unicorn." I blushed and looked down at my feet. 

 

"No problem. This way Celestabethabelle gets to live in the real world, and you two can cut her hair. Wait! Mabel! Can you make me a sweater with unicorn sparkle hair in it?" Grenda boomed as she punched a tree in punctuation.  _ Ouch, she can be dangerous…  _

 

**_Ogre is a good ally to have. Always useful to have some extra muscle around._ **

 

_ Ogre? _

 

**_Ninja and Ogre. Shooting Star's friends._ **

 

_ Their names are Candy and Grenda…  _

 

The girls and I all hiked out to the unicorns' sacred glade, Grenda opened it up and we walked in. The rainbow haired unicorn (Celestabethabelle?) lay basking in the sun. 

 

"Hey! Celestabethabelle! Remember me?" shouted Mabel

 

The unicorn looked up and she cried "Hiihm! Yes I do. You four beat me up! What do you want this time?"

 

Wendy played with her hatchet in its holster, "We want you to come with us willingly. We need large quantities of your hair, and it's a hike to get out here. So, either you come along, or…"

 

" **Lux Restricto.** Hi." I raised my hand, getting her attention, "So I'm the evil twin. Dipper. I mean, I'm not really evil, but compared to Mabel… I'll do anything to protect her. You devastated her. I am also a pretty capable warlock." With that and a smirk, my light chains began floating towards her, giving her time to choose her path. She whinnied, rearing back as if in that stereotypical heraldic pose, and charged past us. 

 

She didn't get away of course, it was an enclosed area and there were five of us. In the end we ended up bruised, Candy would be sporting a scar on her arm, but Celestabitch was firmly hog tied after ramming horn long into a tree. It took an old horse breaking ritual to actually move her (thus the innumerable bruises), but in the end she stood there, looking down at the clearing floor we had moved her to, tied to a tree, hair cut back to only a few inches long.

 

"Thanks everyone." I blushed, scratching at the back of my neck awkwardly. "That was kinda fun you know. I'm sorry you guys got hurt."

 

"Pshaw Dipper," Mabel started "It was worth it. Besides, this purifier thing looks cool, and if it works… you are gonna start having a collection of thing-a-ma-jobbers just like Grunkle Ford!"

 

"I know, I just wish that I could have protected you better… I should've had more"

 

"Dipper. Stop berating yourself for not being amazing at fighting dude. Your wards worked. That one kick she landed didn't hurt nearly as bad, and then it broke. I would probably have had a broken rib, but instead, all I got is this badass bruise. Last time we knocked her out before beating her up."

 

Wendy's bruise would be gigantic, but it is true… the wards worked, they just didn't work well enough. _ Wait no they did.  _ Nobody is seriously injured, Candy doesn't need stitches, and we freaking captured a unicorn!

 

_ I want to learn healing, please.  _

 

We traipsed back to the shack, hungry and sore. Hopefully Grunkle Stan remembered to order the pizza ahead of time, because we had been hiking for hours. The girls (minus Wendy) were going to have a sleepover and Mabel had stated they were going to get to work weaving. We all chatted and ate, Grunkle Ford wanted to know what we did with the unicorn, and we told him.

 

_ He's gonna follow me. He has to know that its a temporary location. Crap.  _

 

I finished my pizza, claiming that I needed something, and rushed upstairs. The gnome has been melded, enchanted effectively. He speaks to nobody but me and Bill, and seems to have no desire to escape. I haven't even kept him locked in the terrarium lately. He wants to help with my projects, he is probably lonely. He has even reported to me whenever someone enters my lab without me there.

 

"Dave. Come on. We got her."

 

He looked excited, and got to his feet, rushing over to assist me. We left out the window, jumping over to the nearby tree then floating to the ground.

 

"So Dave, do you want to work for me permanently? You'll be in charge of taking care of the unicorn."

 

"Yes, yes, yes! Please." Okay, I wasn't expecting this level of grovelling. Had my experiments gone this well? We moved through the forest, heading towards the temporary home of the unicorn. 

 

Bill popped in. "Hey, you've trained him effectively. I told you that it wouldn't be hard. I mean, he knows what you did and he still pants at the thought of helping you. He is properly conditioned. Honestly Pine Tree, you could have more faith in yourself. He was trained a month ago." Bill did an eye roll, which I was finally getting used to. And in our nearly subvocal code, "Look at him, trotting along behind you trying to keep up, not even a little disturbed by his situation. Besides, they are little more than sentient rodents. You got yourself your first slave Dipper Pines, and you got your first beast. Oh we need to detour. Just heard Sixer."

 

I blushed furiously. My f-first slave huh?  _ Wow. I guess so. _ And if he was trained a month ago…  _ Bill! Are you saying that I could just take some random person off the street? _

 

"You could have your way with anyone, though it wouldn't be permanent, and I recommend people who won't notice the missing time. What? Did you think I would give you tasks you weren't ready for? If it's Little Flower, you could just whisk her away to Fairyland."

 

_ I still think she is too young to be queen to a gaggle of gnomes. I know, I know, her family situation is shit, and she is nearly abandoned, but kidnapping a first grader? It feels so wrong.  _

 

We hid for a few minutes, waiting for my Grunkle to pass by.  _ I don't really know why I feel such a strong negative reaction towards the idea of him knowing what I am doing. Wait, why? Bill? Did you fuck with my head? Though building a zoo like structure in the old dino caves holding a bunch of magical creatures is sketchy. Wait, no. Great Uncle Ford would be proud of me, it would be really useful. We had fun examining and studying the gnome, and why shouldn't the same be true of any other creatures I capture?  _

 

Once he passed, we made our way to the ruined church hiding the caves below. At least since Weirdmaggedon reset everything, that means the T-Rex is back inside his amber prison. The unicorn's stall/cave sector was prepared with food, and most importantly, a painted barrier line trapping people inside.

 

"Alright Dave, you'll be in charge of feeding her and you know, making sure she doesn't do anything funny. She won't be able to leave this zone, as long as nobody messes with the border lines. Even if they do get damaged, which they shouldn't, she can't actually leave the tunnel system. Uhh, we will buy you a cellphone so you can text me, I am sure you will figure out reception zones. So let's go get her?" I awkwardly trailed off, watching the small figure in front of me nodding frantically.

 

"Yes Master Dipper."

 

_ Fuck. _ I blushed, going bright pink.

 

"Ohhhkay. Lets go." I turned away, internally panicking.

 

_ Oh my fucking gawd. He called me master. Damn. Shit. He really is my slave! Its… fucking amazing!  _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this is the last chapter finished... working on the next one. I personally hate how this chapter turned out - writer's block yanno.
> 
> Thanks to FalkiiRaelis for proofing again.


	25. Triangle Enthusiasts

It had been a few months since the last time Dipper had gotten caught unaware by a cult, but that all too familiar feeling of his pounding skull began pulsing and throbbing at the back of his neck. It would be convenient if getting knocked out dropped Dipper into his Mindscape, but then again, this had been a terrible day, and getting jumped behind the museum had to cinch it. 

 

"Urrrgh" he moaned helplessly. _Fuck. Now they know_. He was bruised and sore all over, and he had a stabbing pain in his chest, probably from where his ward would have shattered. His wrists chafed, bound together with duct tape, but his face didn't seem to be covered. Dipper groaned a bit and opened his eyes, squinting against the bare basement(?) light. Yep. The smell of dust and the concrete walls confirmed that he was taped up, hand and foot, seated on a folding chair in some basement. Great. Dipper was starting to panic, but thankfully it seemed nobody had heard him, and there was no one else currently in the room. Taking a few moments to breathe deeply, he calmed himself and then looked around for clues.

 

_ Shit. _

 

He was seated in the middle of a summoning circle, and not just any summoning circle, no, but Cipher's. Fancy version too, and painted onto the ground, since he was sitting right in the middle of the Zodiac circle.

 

_ Bill! This is bad. This is bad. Bad bad bad bad bad.  _

 

Dipper heard the sound of footsteps coming down rickety wooden stairs from behind him, and quickly almost entirely shut his eyes, nictitating just a bit so that he could see what they looked like. 

 

The cultists had standard issue black robes, but wore golden pendants of Cipher. Their heads were cloaked. Dipper saw only three forms pass by, but it sounded like there were at least four sets of footsteps. 

 

"Do you think he will wake up soon?" 

 

"I hope so. We have to find out what happened to…"

 

"Shush. No names, remember. We don't know what other magic he has on him."

 

"Shit. Yeah. My bad."

 

"Hopefully he'll answer this time. We caught the kid."

 

_ Oh fuck. They are gonna kill me and try and summon Bill. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. No Dipper calm down.  _

 

And then Preston Northwest's voice spoke, "If anything will garner his attention, it will be the blood of one of his symbols.

 

Bill wasn't taking over, he was leaving Dipper fully in charge of his body. _Why? Wait. Cause I can't do shit right now, and if I die…_

 

_ Please. Bill. I don't want to die.  _

 

Apparently, Dipper had stirred or flinched at Preston's voice, because the first voice boomed. "Oy. He's waking up. Positions."

 

Shit. Dipper opened his eyes groggily, blinking at the light, faking waking up. "Huh?" I just gotta fake confidence. Get them to not kill me. Get my phone. Get out of here. He gazed around, trying to identify the two cultists in his view.

 

"Wow. Are you guys crazy? Why the fuck would you kidnap me and try to sacrifice me to Cipher? You wouldn't have left me ungagged if you didn't want to talk to me, or I suppose you wanted Cipher to hear me scream."

 

"Shut up. What happened to our mates?" They stayed back, not crossing the circle, but preparing candles and offerings.

 

Dipper attempted to shrug, saying "I don't know. I think I have a concussion. Also you idiots really might want to let me go. This is a terrible idea on everyone's part. Why on earth would you try to summon the demon that started the apocalypse?"

 

They didn't answer, choosing to ignore Dipper as they completed their preparations. They began chanting.

 

"Triangulum entangulum dominus ventium, venitas venitasium. We offer you this vessel, one who scorned you, oh mighty!"

 

As the chant filled the room, Cipher sent that little pulse that he wanted to take over, and Dipper released control of his mouth and magic willingly. 

 

From out of Dipper's mouth poured Cipher flames(illusionary), and his eyes glowed blue as a wind blew out all the candles. Grinning madly, Dipper's eyes settled into golden slitted, Cipher eyes.

 

_____________

 

Freedom! Except that Pine Tree is currently bound. I smirked, rolled our shoulders and eyes, and lifted my bound hands.

 

"Well, well well well, well. If it isn't my second least favorite Northwest. And hello guys, where are the rest of you? Whaddya need? Like the necklace - very fashionable. I'm surprised that someone would summon me back here so soon. It melts my poor lonely heart."

 

I tried to put our hands behind my head, leaning back, but a twinge in Pine Tree's shoulder informed me that it was dislocated. All my poor, dumb cultists looked on in shock.

 

"Hahahaha. You all did a number on Pine Tree didn't you? So… I don't have all day, and since  **SOMEBODY** bound him up, I can't make any deals right now. I just get to hear him screaming bloody murder. And Pine Tree, no, I won't get out of your body."

 

_ I am so confused right now.  _

 

"What, you don't want me making a deal with these lovely gentlemen over here? That is harsh. After they worked so hard to break through your wards, you even knocked two of them out, and then they had to beat you up just to give you to me? You really aren't in a position to make demands Pine Tree."

 

The cultists finally regained some semblance of coherency and one of them came over and cut off the duct tape binding me. "Uhh, sir, are our friends going to be alright?"

 

"Oh yeah they'll be fine. Eventually. They were pretty much tased, though I suppose I should deal with you all at once. Yeesh."

 

"We want to declare our loyalty, and ask for some small boons in exchange for capturing and providing you one of your Zodiac to do with as you please." Northwest stated.

 

_ At least he didn't offer up Pacifica. Wait why didn't he offer up Pacifica? _

 

"Good question kid. Pine Tree wants to know why you didn't offer me Llama. It would be much easier to just drug her."

 

Preston looked uncomfortable at my insinuation, and at the fact that now all the other cultists were eyeing him suspiciously. "Ahem. I was hoping to make a deal to further the family wealth, and she is my only child."

 

"Awww." I cooed, waltzing over to him and squeezing his cheeks. "Does Daddy Llama love his baby?" My voice went cold suddenly. "That's cute. Because I think none of you remembered that out of all human kind, I like Pine Tree the best. And he is pretty angry, and his body is not in very good condition. So let's get this show on the road, everyone in a circle, bring the unconscious ones down, and hand me his stupid cellphone."

 

"Yes Lord Cipher!" They bowed and scurried off to do my bidding. I texted the gnome our location, and told him to bring six sets of handcuffs. We are in the basement, handcuff all the cultists together, everyone will be asleep. 

 

To Pine Tree I whispered, "This is a farce. The gnome is on its way to cuff everyone together. This is very good for us, but I need you to appear whipped, but belligerent. If you'd wear a collar and be chained up it would be great. Work with me kid."

 

Once everything was prepared, I had them all touching and pulled everyone into one of the ones my sapling knocked out.

 

* * *

 

 

I blinked, slightly dizzy from the mental strain of channeling eight entities into one persons Mindscape. I quickly conjured up a gold collar (gulp!) with a lapis pine tree instead of a nametag.  _ It is just imaginary, but it is cold, and heavy. I did just literally figuratively collar myself.  _ I shook my head furiously.  _ Damn mind stuff is freaking confusing sometimes.  _

 

Around me there were six humans, and oh…  _ there is Bill, being his usual grandiose self dancing around them, distracting them. Five men, one woman. There is Preston Northwest, Blind Ivan, looking almost glitchy in his mindscape form, Ghost Eyes (why didn't I notice him), two other men, and a woman. I assume these are all the cultists, and of course, in the mindscape it is how they normally perceive themselves.  _

 

_ Hmm, do the others see Blind Ivan all glitchy like I do? They aren't looking at him funny, though Bill is being a drama queen and they are all bowing and gesticulating at him.  _

 

In front of us all appears to be either an apartment building or prison cell wall, it is kind of hard to tell.  _ I guess that makes this Ghost Eye's head… wait I knocked out Ghost Eyes! Boo fuckin yeah! _

 

A flare of blue fire startled me.  _ Wait! Bill! Fuck he's taking advantage of my distraction to make deals. _

 

I rushed towards him, but the distance between us grew, not shrank as I ran.  _ Maybe its a fear thing, maybe Cipher being a douche, but god damn if it isn't annoying _ . So I tried running in the opposite direction, and there I was, huffing and puffing, bruised and bloody in the middle of Bill making deals with his cultists.

 

"I always love that part." Bill purred as the fire faded from his hand. "So, who's next?"

 

"Lord Cipher, I believe I mentioned I wanted to reclaim my family fortune." Preston Northwest spoke up.

 

"Ah yes… but nope. No can do. You invested that with me." Preston looked frustrated, but perked up when Cipher did his counter-offer. "But., I can get you the seed so you can make a new fortune. Lesse, How about this - I give you gold to rebuild your fortune, gold that people dearly want, and oh, when you die all that you make from that gold returns to me? Sound fair?" Preston looked like he wanted to argue, but shut his mouth looking at my rage and quickly finished off the deal.

 

"No! That is stupid. You don't just -" I face-palmed, "Look, you left the word make in there. What does make even mean? Is it just the money you earn from selling the gold? Or is it any houses, any jewelry, any money Pacifica earns using your dirty money as seed money?"

 

"Oh Pine Tree, I didn't know you spent so much time looking for loopholes in my deals. He is right though," he lied, turning to Preston "Gotta specify. And so Pine Tree, since you seem to want to help him out, how about you get the location of the gold and see it retrieved, and I'll even toss in immunity for you, as well as Northwest here."

 

_ Wouldn't I have to do that anyway?  _

 

_ Oh wait - faking it. Of course. _ I smiled softly. 

 

"Fine - but I won't seal it with a deal."

 

"Really Pine Tree - you don't want my word?"

 

"I don't trust you not to find a loophole. You just have to trust me."

 

Bill flashed red at that, but if he wants a show…  _ well I can sass him as much as I like. _

 

He spun away from me (drama queen) and turned to the next person. Blind Ivan… or whatever Mabel has him think he is. "So! Whaddya want Mister? Riches? Revenge? A better banjo?"

 

"No." He shrank down, nervous. "I want to remember who I was - what these tattoos mean."

 

"Oh, your past. Good choice. You get your memories back, and whether you regret it or not, you make me a Memory Gun."

 

"Huh? What's that?"

 

"You'll know. Deal?"

 

"Deal"

 

_ Why does Bill want a memory gun? Oh god its probably for anyone who finds out… no no no. But… If I have the only one…  _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No clue when the next bit will come... This is as far as I've written


	26. Good As Gold

"So Pine Tree… these terms seem good enough for you now?" Now I no longer had a life for two lives, just his time, for while he had his children. Once they turned 18… well poohey. Wait. Pine Tree finnegaled it so that it was time working… he'd still have a debt to pay. Sleeping isn't work. And he'll have to have a normal life in addition to his second job - for me. To think, Pine Tree set that up for me. Essentially the same deal, although… if he dies and he hasn't paid it all back yet… I smirked. Yes the bits about employee fairness and hazard pay and all that, and that others could volunteer to help with his time, it all just meant I can reward him, and the sooner Sapling gets the kids - well right now I have 22 years, 73 days, 16 hours, and 37 seconds remaining on his labor sentence.

 

Pine Tree nodded, winking at me and flashing me a smile where Ghost Eyes cannot see.

 

"Then Deal?"

 

"Deal" I shook with Ghost Eyes, revelling in the power that floods me with a deal. 

 

"This watch will tick down as you do your work, and will tick down right now, until you get your children. Once you get them, it will only tick down while working for me." I poofed it into existence, handed it off to him, and waved him awake.

 

"Bill. You totally used that time to get the sneakiest deals you could." Pine Tree stated accusingly, and I shrugged.

 

"Yep."

 

He blinked at me, shivered a bit, then burst out laughing. "Eh, heh, heh heheh. I just realized something. So Mister Cipher, what's next? I have to do all these tasks for you?"

 

I winked at him, and pulled him in close. "You were very very snarky there, no thank yous for coming and helping? You can do whatever you like to them." My tone flipped on a dime, from sassy, to downright malicious glee. "Oh Sapling… tell me your plan for getting those kids." I purred at him.

 

"Erm… well, I was sorta thinking maybe giving their mom like cancer - but temporary? Is that too harsh, or bad or is that just a terrible idea?"

 

I burst out laughing, clutching my sides in amusement. "Hoo boy Pine Tree. Didn't think you had it in you. Doing something so - dastardly…" I trailed my hand along him, cupping his face, and he leaned in subtly. Such good progress on his part deserved a treat. I leaned in, shifting into my meatsack form, and gave him a nice slow kiss. Oh how I cannot wait to be able to feel it, to sense texture and heat, but he sure was feeling the kiss. He kind of fit himself into my body, closing any distance between us, and his face was flushed (I could tell that without looking.) "It's a lovely idea. You just practice healing her, and she accidentally develops a carcinoma. Non - malignant of course. She does have a smoking problem already." I winked. "Now dear, you should probably wake up now, they are probably getting antsy waiting for their dear sacrifice to help them."

 

He nodded slowly, pouting a little bit. "Tonight. We need to talk about this."

 

I nodded, giving him one more kiss, and showed him the location of the treasure. He reluctantly clung to me as I poured in the memory of having it buried by cultists, knowing that this meant work, and having to deal with the sniveling townsfolk who tried to hurt him.

 

* * *

 

_ Ugh! Why the fuck do they have to pull this shit? I don't want to help them! I want… _

 

I kicked one, right in the shin, and it felt good. He'd have a nasty bruise. 

 

"Lord Cipher?" he questioned, confusion etched into his face, holding his cuffs up slightly.

 

I glared at him. "Lord Cipher isn't here anymore. He left me… your sacrifice to do his dirty work. He made me a deal. Why else do you think you all are cuffed together?" I laughed bitterly as I kicked Blind Ivan in the gut. "He wanted my help. So I guess you all owe me something too. An apology!"

 

"Look boy," started Preston Northwest "our deals were with Cipher."

 

"Yeah, well, he told me where your treasure is, what it is, and how to get it. In fact, Ghost Eyes, would you like to start working off your time? Because I'm not doing the digging. That I leave to Mr. Northwest here." Another kick, this time to Preston in the back of the knee.

 

It felt good to let out my anger, to punch someone in the arm, the gut, to watch them tangled in their cuffs. They managed to block a few punches, and one even got a hit off on me, but I pointed a very sharp icicle at his face and he backed down. It was good exercise, leaping and stomping on helpless cultists, now my bitches. "No. Your deals were with Cipher, but I am your link to Cipher. And he finds pain hilarious. You brought this on yourselves, and you have to deal with me now. And he clearly doesn't mind me doing this, since he tied you all up just for me."

 

After I had settled my rage, the uninjured cultists now thoroughly bruised, I had the gnome let them out of their cuffs. I panted, flushed and excited from what had just happened. _ It felt good, too good. I needed to stop myself, not attack them. But they had hurt me, planned to cut me open and summon Bill.  _

 

_ (Would that be so bad?) _

 

_ Yes. It would. Bill needs a leash. I need to hold him back. I just - suck at it. Fall for his tricks. Do his bidding. I am just a puppet, trying to hold back the puppeteer. Pointless. _

 

"Go. Just go. Ivan, I'll get your memories back to you. Just come to the shack this weekend. And no more Blind Eye. Just no. Ghost Eyes, Preston, lets go get your gold."

 

With the aid of a car, and a very angry Northwest griping the entire way to the site, we made it to the buried treasure. They began digging while I sat back, watching and fuming, berating myself for my anger. I tried to meditate, but couldn't find peace. When at last the treasure was uncovered, I unlocked it using the puzzle code given to me (overly complicated) so that it wouldn't spike me with poison.  _ Bill did you have to protect it this well? _

 

"Now Northwest," I said as I opened the chest. "Here is your gold to sell. It has been magicked to be somewhat addictive, so the more often you receive it, the more you'll do or pay for it. You and I are the only ones immune, so be careful letting your family touch it." Each coin was emblazoned with Bill in his Eye of Providence guise on one side, and other it had his summoning chant surrounding a simple diagram of his summoning circle. Namely, an x-ed out face. Implying that you didn't need a picture, you could use a body. They were solid gold, though under certain light glinted red. "Honestly, Grunkle Stan would kill to be able to sell these, if they you know, weren't sigils of Cipher."

 

We escorted the gold back to the Northwest mini-mansion, and were greeted by a very angry Pacifica. I pulled her to the side, and she paled when she saw all of our injuries.

 

"Dipper what happened to you guys? Was it a monster?" She turned to her father and said in a cooler, politer tone, "Father, are you alright? Do we need to take you to the doctor?"

 

He brushed her off with a wave. "Pacifica I will be fine. We need to take these up so that I can begin arranging meetings with collectors. Go to your room and leave us alone."

 

"Yes Father," and she left with a curtsey.

 

I rolled my eyes at the display, and followed her to her room, ignoring Preston's look of fear burning into the back of my head.  _ Well fuck him. I am going to talk to my friend.  _

 

"Wait up Pacifica!" I caught up to her. "Do you think you could help me with my injuries? Got attacked by cultists." I said by way of explanation.

 

Once we were in the restroom, out of earshot of her father, who was no doubt probably inventorying his cursed gold, I told her the truth. "Paz, your Dad is one of the cultists. Cultists to Bill Cipher… They attacked me and summoned him, got deals and everything." I sighed. "Only good thing is I was there to mediate sorta. And now they are kinda all my bitches. Your Dad wanted to restore his fortune. So he gets cursed gold. Oh and don't use his money he earns from the gold. Just… don't. Fuck Paz, I couldn't do anything. I can't hold him back. At least I got Ghost Eyes out of a lifetime debt…"

 

"Damn."

 

"Yep. Oh. You and your mom aren't protected from the curse. Just me and him. Its addictive, like a drug. So don't take any of the coins."

 

"Is my father really that stupid? To make another deal with that triangle? God maybe I should take that wish offer. The Incubator explained the details a bit more, since I asked. I'd still have my soul, just outside of my body, and I can still die, especially if I use too much magic or succumb to depression. Dip I want to go on adventures with you, keep you from getting yourself  in too much trouble. That's it. Incubator, you know what my wish is right?" She turned to a (probably invisible incubator) spot in the air. "Then lets do this."

 

I tried to choke out a no, but found my vocal cords paralyzed.  _ Fuck Fuck Fuck no let me stop her. _

 

It was too late. She rose into the air, clutching her chest, then fell to the ground. Thump! A purple faberge egg like gem rested in her hands. 

 

"No!" I cried out, softly. "Damn you Bill. Why? Why? Paz? Are you okay? You can't use magic okay? You can't. You'll die. Unless you fight wraiths, and there aren't any here. Bill wouldn't let me tell you, or that he can help, unless you made the deal." She was staring at the egg in her hands, no, that was her soul, in wonder. It disappeared with a small whoosh, forming into a ring on her finger, and a symbol on her nail.

 

* * *

 

Whoooeee! He is pissed at me. And life, so whaddya know.

 

"Oh hey there Pine Tree." I called out as he fell asleep.

 

"Uuuuuurgh"

 

"I get it kid, that was a big day. But cheer up, now ya got yourself a minion or three, depending on you."

 

"Look, just tell me what I need to do to save Paz. I am not in the mood for games or deals."

 

"Sheesh, tough crowd tonight. Leave it Pine Tree, you know what I do."

 

"I do! And you just… Fuck those deals are lopsided." He sighed in exasperation.

 

"Yeah yeah yeah, but I have to get my meals some way. Anyway I am feeling great tonight! What say we celebrate? Martini?" I poured my own into my eye. "Come on kid, relax. They ain't gonna hurt you anymore." I leaned over and gave him a sip. "Tell your worries to me, sift out those tangled threads, or I could do it for ya."

 

He frowned and crossed his arms, anger and frustration radiating off in waves. "Paz is gonna die, I got kidnapped by cultists, and what the fuck do you want with a memory gun?"

 

"A: No she won't. B: Now you have minions and I got to meet those who still want me around. And C: Because it's useful. Now relax, Pine Tree. It's just us here." 

 

He started to calm down, and I began to rub his back gently, kneading his sore muscles. Even if it didn't do any more than a placebo effect, it still is worth doing. Eventually he conked out on me, going into deep sleep, but I just placed him on a beanbag chair and continued to bleed off his tension.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry its been so long, I hope you all like it. At times I was having trouble writing even a line a day. I don't know what the update schedule will be like, but please comment. It makes me smile.


	27. Wheeling and Dealing

Honestly, once Dipper got over his frustrations about the whole cult thing, he sped through the ingredient list Bill had set him. Having access to a car made getting Darlene a day trip, the biggest problem was getting the Stans off his back for being out "in the woods alone" all the time, and not working the register, or taking Ford with. Ford didn't notice when Dipper collected Darlene (A trip that involved going there, then tying her up with light chains and taking her back to his base.) The dinosaurs weren't going anywhere with it still being spring, and so in the summer Dipper would chill the place down, but first, he needed to collect magic energy. 

 

Pacifica's problem weighed on him, but both he and Mabel loved her magical girl outfit. It was in her signature magenta, a sleek floor length formal with one long slit down the side. It was very sexy, in Dipper's opinion, and the long dagger strapped to her leg made her the picture of a femme fatale. Discussions with Bill led to Bill changing the subject, but he did say that he didn't want his Llama to die either, so if things got drastic, he would help her stave off danger, and he would stop Dipper from doing anything that would outright lead to her nearly dying, but without a deal, Pine Tree and Llama were on their own.

 

* * *

 

"It's done! I shouted in glee, my voice echoing down the hall, and also nearly deafening Mabel and Soos, who were helping me finish it up.

 

"Dawg - high five." he stated, and high fives were had all around.

 

"Okay, so you two carry these mana absorbers around, just keep it in your pocket unless something is seriously weird, then maybe just wave it around so it can soak up the energies…"

 

"Got it Dip - Dot. We already knew what to do."

 

"Just making sure." With that we marched downstairs, through the secret vending machine door, down more stairs, into the elevator, Mabel did a little dance in the elevator, and then we made it to Ford's lab. "Grunkle Ford? We're here to absorb the residual electromagical energy here so it's safe to unlock the portal. We talked about this…" I called into the gloom. _ I wonder what's stuck on the other side.  _

 

"Oh yes, hello Dipper, Mabel, Soos." He called as he turned on the light, dusting off his labcoat. "I was just getting ready for you all. Safety goggles?" And he passed them out.

 

"Oh man, this is getting real" said Soos, excitedly putting his on. "I never wear these things."

 

"Uhh man, you probably should while fixing the shack. Don't want a splinter to fall into your eyeball or anything." I stated.

 

"But Dawg," he said "I got your ward to keep me safe."

 

Mabel awwed, and began running around, waving the mana battery in the air. "Portal! Portal!"

 

"Now Mabel, the portal is very dangerous, and we have no clue what might be on the other side."

 

I walked towards the portal, sensing its energies rippling towards to the batteries. I took my own out and placed it on the metal itself and watched the charge mark rise, black line swirling around the wood. 

 

Ford came over, examining my work, and gruffly stated "Good work Dipper. You can clearly see how much charge it has."

 

I responded "And once the energy has been purified into a safe usable state, the line shifts to a white color."

 

"Very useful. Might I have one?"

 

I beamed and passed him one. "Of course Great Uncle Ford! Just bring it to me for me to cleanse whenever it gets charged up. I'll show you how to access the raw magic too."

 

After consuming the magic excess, and dumping the rods in the purifier, we went to go unlock the seal on the portal preventing anything from entering our dimension. One, two, three keys entered into Grunkle Ford's PC (now much more advanced), and away it went with a high pitched whine and a whirring of motors.

 

"So, is that it?" asked Mabel.

 

Then there came a knocking on the door of the observation room. (huh?) We opened the door to find a small hovering orb about to bump into the door again. It looked like alien tech, and then it shot out a ray of light and created a hologram. Soos had jumped away, and Mabel was hiding mostly behind him, but watching.

 

"Look out doods! Its gonna shoot us!"

 

Grunkle Ford responded "Ahh, well, actually, it won't. This is a message deliverance module, classification… Oh, it has a message for me. Thank you."

 

He examined the holographic alien text for a moment, then smiled. "Oh my. It's a wedding invitation. Who knew they would ever get mated. But I am quite late. I'll have to send a congratulations card."

 

Mabel peeked out from behind Soos at the word wedding, and began to slither up to Grunkle Ford as he mused. "Oh my gosh! Who is it? Are we going to the party? When was it? Is it a friend of yours? Tell me tell me tell me!"

 

"Oh. Ahh, it was last year. And it is my friend. Birdperson. Now why don't you all go out and let me write them a card. Lets see, where did I leave my paper…?"

 

"Grunkle Ford! You can't just write them a card on paper. You have to get a nice card."

 

"Oh, well if you say so."

 

At this I interjected, "So is this one of your friends from the multiverse? From when you traveled around for thirty years? Which universe are they from? Which universe do we live in? How did that mail-bot get here? Does it have the ability to shift dimensions?"

 

"Dipper, wait just a moment. Yes it is, yes from my travels, they are from universe C - 178. We live in universe C - 239, there are infinite number of universes. And before you ask, a C - type universe just designates its tier in terms of derivation. C - type universes are derivatives of B - types, which in turn are derivatives of A - types. Video games, books, and television shows created in this universe are all D - type. It really doesn't matter what your letter is, though never mess around with your one tier up universe. It leads to problems. I am sure you've watched shows or read books where the characters run into the author, or edit the script, which in turn edits them. It gets messy very quickly, and can cause the degradation of both universes. Also it does prove that our universe is just a simulation created by someone in a higher universe. Don't worry about it. And no Dipper, it has nothing to do with dimensions. There are no such things as parallel dimensions."

 

By now Mabel and Soos had disappeared upstairs, probably bored or trying to find Ford a card from the gift shop. Our discussion continued on until they called us up to dinner.

 

* * *

 

 

Pine Tree wriggled in my grasp, unable to fully relax within my tentacles. He couldn't, wouldn't give in to my caresses, even as I leaned in to give him a make out session, one which he could not deny me. Once he felt my lips upon his, gently kissing, questing for entrance as I sucked on his lower lip, he opened in silent acceptance, though his body stayed stiff. As we kissed though, he relaxed further and further until he was limp, held in midair by my tendrils. The only non-limp part of him though, was his penis, struggling against the underwear holding it in place, as it strained to be free and upright.

 

"Bill…" he breathily sighed. "Uhnh, please. Please no."

 

Hwaaah? I stopped, setting him on the bed. "Are you alright kid?"

 

"No, just… I…" he stammered. "I don't know. I don't feel… right about this."

 

My tendrils withdrew, dissipating into thin air. I hummed to myself, letting the boy finish thinking. Had I done something wrong? No. Never. He was probably just shy about his stupid meatbag anatomy meeting my glorious anatomy in full on "butt stuff". As he relaxed I felt the tension in the air start to fade away. Good. 

 

"Uhh Bill. Thank you. For stopping. For… understanding."

 

"No problem Pine Tree. I've got an eternity, whereas you, well… you have a human lifespan. Want some deer teeth? Or a book? Something to make you feel better about this? A body pillow? A nice dream? Or to forget it all?"

 

This was supposed to be his reward for completing the absorber - but Pine Tree had to be a flat tire. Chaos getting this kid to do anything was like trying to play the piano with your tongue - doable, but very bad, awkward, and filled with slimy liquids. 

 

_ Honestly… I would love to be able to read again… but that'll never happen. _

 

"Oh Sapling," I crooned "why didn't you just ask for that instead of proposing meat sack copulation. I suppose I could let you…"

 

Dipper perked right up, sparkles glistening in his Shooting Star eyes. "Really? Oh please Bill! I'd do anything." He suddenly clasped his hand in front of his mouth. "No. I didn't mean anything. I won't do anything."

 

I laughed, deep from within my eye. "Anything huh. Or close to it. Hows about this: You. Don't kiss or share bodily fluids (Other than blood) with anybody else. Just me. Unless you really want to screw a person over by making out with their best friend, but you'd never do that. Deal?"

 

He frowned, thoughts racing through his head as he tried to puzzle out whether this would be worth it, but in the end, he shook my hand in a deal. I guess a lifetime of being stuck with me is worth him getting to read again. In celebration I dumped deer, pig, and chicken teeth on him. 

 

"Hey!"

 

* * *

 

 

It was Shooting Star's antics that led to the discovery that Llama was weak to the absorption seals. Now frankly, I hadn't spent much time interacting with the magical girls, preteen girls are not my favorite subcategory of people. She had been waving her seal around, showing it to Llama, when it drained the magic from her stone, causing her to faint and her soul gem to blacken.They were rushed back to the Shack, where I had a look at her through my sapling's eyes.

 

"Mabel, what did you do?" I asked, internally pleased that she thought I was her brother.

 

She explained in a long and roundabout way that really, it wasn't at all her fault (it was) and the situation. 

 

But I cannot have my Zodiacs dying on me, they are way too useful. 

 

But Pine Tree hasn't made a deal yet.

 

But Pine Tree was just supposed to figure it out!

 

Argh chaos almighty!

 

**_Pine Tree, do you trust me to save her?_ **

 

_ Wait you'd do that? _

 

**_I am willing to make a deal with Shooting Star._ **

 

I opened his eyes, schlera yellowed and pupils slitted. "Shooting Star, you fucked up. But I am willing to offer you a deal to save Llama's life. At this point you have caused her to pass out, and she cannot herself make a deal with me.

 

She shivered and rubbed her arm sheepishly. "I don't know…"

 

"Are you going to kill your friend?" I laughed. "That'd be great. Look girly, I am willing to offer you the keys to her life, and you are debating it?"

 

"Umm… I guess so. What do you want?"

 

I deadpanned. "To be out of here, and restart my damned party. You were a great help with that after all. But now… I'll take one favor for me to cash in later."

 

She retorted "I… I don't want to hurt anyone, or kill anything."

 

"You drive a hard bargain. How about two non-violent favors?"

 

"One!"

 

"Eh, if you say so. Have your Llama back." I reached out Pine Tree's hand, which she reluctantly shook, leading to a burst of blue flames. Hell yeah!

 

"Okay, now gimme her soul gem. Her ring."

 

I took her soul gem and placed it inside the cleanser, dumping the absorbers in the top, so that the energy taken would be channeled into her gem. An hour later, and she was better than before, waking up to a panicking Shooting Star. 

 

_ Thank you Bill.  _

 

**_You are very welcome Pine Tree. I do want you to thrive you know._ **

 

_ I… I don't believe you. _

 

**_You should. You are my favorite meatsack, and with me, isn't everything turning up Pine Tree?_ **

 

_ Huh… I guess… things are looking up for me with you here. _

 

**_What can I say?_ **

 

_ Do you really want to start Weirdmaggedon again? _

 

**_Ehh, nope! You all won that round._ **

 

_ Well, thanks for saving Paz. _

 


End file.
